


The Court of Mist

by Usagisakka



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alpha Kageyama Tobio, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Background Relationships, Developing Relationship, Fae Magic, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Omega Hinata Shouyou, Romance, Shapeshifting, Team as Family, True Mates, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 61,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24143248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Usagisakka/pseuds/Usagisakka
Summary: Stuck in the Court of Mist, Hinata has no choice but to survive in a place he thought only existed in fairytales. Gradually, Hinata opens his eyes to a world where magic and mythical creatures existed, relying on his new set of friends and under the protection of the mysterious High Lord of the Spring Court.(More tags may be added soon. Rating could change.)
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 268
Kudos: 284





	1. Prey

The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice. The wind blowing in all directions. 

It had been at least an hour, or maybe three, he couldn’t tell. The sun is about to set, the horizon painted in different hues of orange and red. Strong gust of wind and endless heaps of snow covering the tracks. His vantage point from the crook of the tree branch became useless. 

He might be able to make it just before the sun sets, but who knows what’s in these woods - the forbidden land to the mortals, the one place no one dared to walk into, afraid of the unknown and the monsters that existed in the townsfolk folklore. 

No one can help him. Maybe no one could apart from himself. 

No one else knows the forest floor as well as he does. He was orphaned at a young age of twelve, no siblings, no other relatives to take him in. No other choice but to find a way to survive. The forest has provided him that. Food, materials to use for shelter, physical training and endurance.

His old neighbour who was a blacksmith taught him a few things about handling a dagger, his skill for using a bow was self taught. His shots aren’t accurate but it helps with the kill.

If only he had been born an alpha or at least a beta. Two years ago, he presented. All sorts of trouble followed after that. His heats are the worst and they often last for at least a week. During those times, hunting is impossible. He often makes sure he stocks enough to last throughout the cycle but making sure he won’t starve is the least of his worries. 

Omegas are destined to find their fated mates but the chances of that happening is very thin. Only a few managed to find theirs. The few lucky ones. Being born an Omega comes with its downsides. They are physically weaker, gentle natured and submissive. However, he’s not caught up with all of that nonsense. He does not need a mate. He is strong enough on his own and he has been proving exactly that day by day, despite the fact that Omegas are still supposed to be right at the bottom of the hierarchy, or so he was told.

This year, winter came early. Food became scarce and he needed some new animal skin to replace his worn out leathers. Maybe sell a few portions if there’s any left. The old folks are convinced the gods are at war and their wrath falls upon them mortals. Some believe it was the fae-folk, reawakening after years of slumber, preparing themselves to take back the lands the humans once stole from them. There have been reports of unusual sightings, giant wild animals lurking around, wolf-like creatures and such, but no one wants to believe any of it. It was after all, only myths. 

Faes apparently have human forms but unlike the mortals, they are physically stronger, smarter and powerful. They rule the realm of magic and enchantments, deception and seduction. Their beauty is unrivaled and unnatural to mankind. They possess the gift of the tongue, allowing them to speak any language at will. It was written in scriptures that all of the different languages to ever exist, came and was derived from theirs.

He isn’t a believer of course but maybe when he was younger, the stories about Faes and High-Borns fascinated him to some degree. That’s what they are, they only exist in story books, from tales passed down from generation to generation. 

He stopped believing in the tooth fairy when he was ten.

A shudder skittered through his spine as his stomach growled like a dying wild animal. He already finished his portions, he should have left some for emergencies. But no point in regretting it now, what he needs to do is to look for a better shelter to stay in for the night.

He scraped his knee as he climbed back down, almost losing his footing when his foot hit the frost-covered ground. He wiped his gloved hand to shake the snow that landed on his lashes, proceeding towards the direction where he thought was closer to home. It might be hard to navigate his way tomorrow but that’s a problem for another day.

He noticed the snow was starting to get deeper, had he gone to the opposite direction after all? 

He looked around in slight panic, eyes squinting in his surroundings. A few meters to his right was a boulder in the middle of an elevated clearing. A sigh of relief escaped his chapped lips. He could curl on the other side of the rock to shield himself from the gust of wind, he’ll deal with the snow later on. 

Before, it was second nature for him to trudge through knee-deep snow. But he was worn out, his arms and legs numb, his hunger is getting worse and worse by the minute. He reminded himself that this wasn’t the first time he had to deal with hunger, in fact, he had been through worse.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

He jumped on his feet, groggily alert, eyes searching his surroundings. Looks like the morning came while he was asleep. The forest sounds normal now, birds are chirping and leaves fluttering about. The snow that covered the leaves has now begun to melt, streaks of sunlight poking through the branches. 

He shoved some weight off his shoulders, relieved he managed to survive the night. 

Brushes rustled across the clearing, about twenty paces to his left. He quickly reached for his bow, drawing it in a matter of instinct. There, just beside the big red tree stood a deer. Not too big but not too small either. 

His mouth watered at the thought of roast for tonight’s dinner. He can strip some pieces and dry it to preserve. Maybe he can set aside some portions to sell in the market the next day too. The deer is more than enough to last him for weeks. 

Quiet as the wind, he mounted his arrow, taking aim at the target. His mouth watered, hands shaking slightly in anticipation. It had been a while since he found a prize this size. He took a deep, quiet breath before double checking his aim. 

But there were another set of eyes. Brown, sharp and rabid.

It belonged to another predator. 

The forest stilled. The leaves stopped rustling. The wind stopped blowing. It’s almost as if mother nature is siding with the wolf who is about to steal his prey. 

He never knew wolves existed in this area, in fact, it was unheard of. Is it a lone wolf? Are there others scouting the area? Suddenly, his heart started pounding.

The wolf is no ordinary creature, he can tell. He knew what wolves looked like, or at least had enough idea of what it’s supposed to look like. The wolf has an abnormal size, it’s very massive for a wolf - about the size of a pony and yet, it moved in such grace and stealth that the deer didn’t even flinch when it took a step forward, crouching low and steady. 

His eyes travelled from the wolf towards the deer, and then back. He could fire at the wolf first, hopefully kill it. It’s fur alone is worth a fortune but that would scare off the deer in the process. If he kills the deer first, the wolf might spot him and he will become its next target. 

At the back of his mind, he knew there was something wrong. It suddenly became colder, the forest felt more dangerous. Even the birds stopped singing, not a sign of life fluttering around the perimeter. The hairs in his arms and nape stood, a cold shiver brushed his spine. It feels like he was in a trance, as if time was suspended. 

The wolf looked too beautiful, dangerous but beautiful.

They mentioned it in lullabies, fables and jingles. Ethereal creatures. Monsters. Faeries. _Be careful with them. Don’t get too close. Don’t get caught up in their spell._

People have been buzzing about the appearances of weird creatures lurking around the land recently. It couldn’t have been a coincidence. No - those are just talks. _This is just an animal._ Another prey for him to take down.

He drew the string back, taking an aim towards where the wolf is. It’s a decent shot, but he never once took down a wolf, especially one this size. 

He has a dagger and three extra arrows. Is it enough?

It’s not. 

The wolf suddenly leaped, a flash of brown and gold. The deer didn’t stand a chance, he could almost hear the snap of its neck as the wolf clamped down. He released his arrow before the wolf could further destroy the deer and escape. 

The arrow buzzed and ricocheted towards the target. For a second he swore it locked eyes with him, shock and disbelief evident in it’s brown orbs. 

It found its mark on his side and it howled, dropping the deer back on the ground. It felt like the earth shuddered, a shadow casted by a cloud up ahead loomed over where he stood. The wolf limped before it crashed on its side, ruby-red blood spilling on the ground beneath it. 

It whirled its head towards him, eyes wide and on guard. A low but menacing growl reverberated from the hollows of its stomach as he slowly inched closer, another arrow drawn and positioned on the bow, ready to take another shot if necessary. 

Its fur, once golden-brown and polished, is now soaked in blood. It’s maw clawing on the ground as it whined in agonizing pain. 

His chest tightened at the sight.

He stood there frozen, as the sight of two other wolves came into view. Both circling them, fangs bared and saliva dripping towards the ground. 

Compared to the one he shot, the other two are even larger, especially the one with the chocolate-coloured fur. 

Both snarled at his direction, the brown wolf lying down at his feet still whimpering. 

At that moment he knew he was finished. No one will come and rescue him. He only has two arrows left and the puny knife strapped in his waist. He could fire at them, but he knows it's a lost cause.

For some reason he felt like a criminal, a killer. And he deserved a punishment. 

He didn’t flinch when the grey wolf lunged forward, he only closed his eyes as he held onto his bow, fingers too frozen to fire. But the pain he was expecting never came.

He dared to open his eyes. In front of him stood another wolf, its back facing him and its fur white like fresh snow. The three wolves started snarling at each other but the white sounded more superior. 

He could run, but they would easily catch up to him. 

Before he could gather his thoughts, the white turned its head around, locking his hazel-brown eyes with his own ones. He was caught under a spell for the second time that day.

Colours started to spin around him, voices sounded hollow and hard to decipher. Then it was darkness.

\-----------------------------------------------

The air smells like mould. That was the first thing that came into his mind as he slowly regained consciousness. He tipped his head to the side, flinching at the sharp pain caused by the stiff muscles in his neck. He’s seeing doubles, his mind blank. Is he dreaming?

He heard light footsteps, the sound bouncing off the stone walls, slowly getting louder and louder as the source of it came closer. He didn’t move, he didn’t blink. His heart started to pound in his chest as if it anticipated a predator is on its way.

His eyes darted around the room, desperate to locate his bow and arrows but they seem to be nowhere in sight. His hand snapped to his waist for his dagger but it was also gone. 

“Oh, you’re awake.”

He slowly turned his head around towards the direction of the voice, eyes open wide and alert. “Wh-Who’s there?” He managed to say, his voice course and shaky. 

The man cocked his head to the side, “Do you not remember where you are, human?” He asked, voice gentle and alleviating. He almost felt safe.

“Where am I? Who are you?” 

The man sighed before reaching his hand inside his pocket, taking out a key to what he assumed belonged to his cell. “Let me take you out of there but first, you have to promise me you won’t try anything funny. I swear not to harm you in any way. I can promise you that.” He said.

“I don’t trust strangers.” 

“Then I guess, I should introduce myself first.” The man replied as he drew his torch closer to his face, allowing him to have a clear view of it. “My name is Sugawara Koushi, but I would very much appreciate it if you would just call me Suga. You might have not realised it yet, but this is our second meeting. Although I don’t blame you for not recognising me instantly, I’m not _changed_ after all.”

He swallowed, “What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it fair if you would at least offer me a name to address you first?” 

He hesitated but he needed some answers. “Hinata. Hinata Shoyo.” He choked.

“Well, Hinata, what was the last thing that you remember?” Suga asked, pocketing both his hands as he stared at Hinata with full interest. Hinata’s eyes followed the hand that held the key to his cell. Was he lying when he said he’s let him out? Was it just a trick to get him to talk after all?

He blinked as he tried to rummage through his mind. Everything seems to be a little foggy. He pushed himself into a sitting position, groaning at how sore his body and limbs felt. He looked down at his open palms, imagining the feel of his bow. “The forest. It was cold…”

“Good start. What else can you remember?” Suga urged him.

“I was hunting. There was a deer.” 

A flurry of images slowly came into focus.

He was aiming at something. Something bigger and more menacing than a harmless deer. The creature looked at his direction, their eyes met - brown on brown. Suddenly the hunter became the prey. Then there was blood everywhere, staining its fur as well as the snow covered ground. It’s eyes closed as the life in them left its body.

“A wolf.” His voice came out in a raspy whisper. Guilt slowly creeped in his gut, he feels nauseated and light headed. “I think I killed a wolf.”

Suga hummed, the light casting shadows over his eyes. “What else can you remember?”

A small part of him hoped that the wolf had lived. There was something about his eyes which were meant to be frightening, but instead showed fear as he towered over him. Bow at the ready, prepared to fire another shot. When their eyes locked, it almost felt like it was calling for help, his help, begging not to hurt him.

His eyes started to sting. He dug his nails at his palms as he tightened them into a fist. “There were others.” He whimpered. “I was sure they were going to kill me for killing their friend.”

Suga clapped his hands together. “Correct. My, you have such a good memory. Not everyone can withdraw from the _trance_.”

He waited for the man to continue talking. What the hell is a _trance_? But a cloud of silence befell on them. The man didn’t talk any further and he had other more important questions to ask first. “Why am I in a cell?” He finally asked. 

The silence became deafening, the tension thick and almost felt suffocating. Suddenly, Hinata felt a shiver, a warning, his intuition saying he shouldn’t dare to let his guard down. His eyes snap back at Suga.

“You will figure the answer to that later. For the now, we shall let you out of this thing shall we?” 

He nodded absentmindedly, his hands cold and tucked at his sides to stop it from shaking. There’s something about Suga that feels ominous, Hinata is pretty sure there is something else he’s hiding behind that kind smile of his. 

There were two sharp clicks as Suga turned the key. The rusty cell door screeched as Suga pushed for it to open. “Can you stand?” He asked.

Hinata wiggled his feet, testing if they could move. He slowly dropped his leg to the side of the bed, his muscles protesting the sudden movement.

Suga is waiting by the door, holding the torch in one hand while the other is holding the door open. “Come. Don’t be afraid.” He says as he noticed Hinata’s guarded stance as he took slow, tiny steps towards his direction.

He moved aside when Hinata finally exited the cell, careful not to set the human off. 

“Where are you taking me?” Hinata asked, fear and uncertainty dancing on his face. 

“Hmmmm…” Suga dragged his eyes along Hinata’s appearance, starting from his orange curls, then down to his toes and back to his face. “We need to have you cleaned up first. Come.”

Hinata followed behind, weary and alert of his surroundings. He can’t trust Suga just yet. In fact, he might have been safer if he was in the cell. But as much as he wants to go back, to put as much distance as he can between this stranger and himself, he would much rather be out of confines. He’ll plan his escape for later but for now, he’ll let Suga basically offer him his freedom to escape. 

They followed a lightly lit hallway, torches are lined against the stone wall. At the end of it is a large wooden door framed with old rustic metal. The door is carved in intricate swirls and patterns, some ancient writing etched on top of the frame. 

Suga looked over his shoulder, the same friendly smile still plastered on his face. “I’m about to open this door. Please, stand back for a little bit while I do so.” 

Hinata couldn’t understand the necessity of it but he just nodded anyway and backed a few steps away from Suga. The small distance between them gave him some sort of relief. 

He didn’t hear it properly, but he was pretty sure Suga recited a few words in another language. A few seconds later he heard a click. Suga stepped back.

The hairs on his arms stood as he witnessed the door come alive.

It glowed a bright fluorescent white, the swirls and patterns he saw before started to move in a coordination as the door slowly cracked open. It’s hinges groaned as the double doors were pulled apart.

He felt himself take a couple few steps back, ready to dart towards the opposite direction in case something goes wrong but stopped when a warm and sweet-scented air wafted through his nostrils. It smells like vanilla.

The door revealed a tunnel of trees ahead. Luscious branches forming a continuous canopy overhead, decorated with vibrant flowers and vines that mimicked raindrops. 

Hinata’s jaw dropped to the ground, “What is this place? Am I dreaming?” He asked in awe, eyes twinkling at the sight.

Suga laughed, “I was expecting that reaction. It looks lovely isn’t it? You should see them during spring, it’s even more breath-taking.”

It felt even more magical as they walked underneath it. He tripped on the tree roots twice because he had been too distracted. He was too distracted that he didn’t notice they finally reached the end of the tunnel. 

“It feels like I’m in a fairy-tale.” He murmured, voice soft and dreamy. He raised his hand, the blue butterfly immediately perched on his finger. 

Suga lightly laughed and pushed another wooden door open. It looked similar as the one before. Patterns of flowers and vines carved delicately across the whole surface of the wood. But this time, it's painted in platinum white.

He wasn’t sure at first, but now he’s definitely sure he wasn’t imagining it before. 

He listed the few things he knows. Suga speaks a different language but somehow they can still communicate. He lives in a very weird and odd-wordly home despite how beautiful and magical it looks. The guy seems friendly enough but there’s something about him that kept Hinata guarded on his toes. 

Suga led him towards a massive staircase, lined by a blood-red carpet. The steps are tiled marble, the walls and the ceiling painted white, not a patch of dirt to be seen. Swirls of golden pattern decorated the domed vaults and the crevices of the pillars which supported the ceiling arches. At the far end hanging on the wall is a very large mirror also framed in gold. 

Their steps echoed against the empty hallways as Suga led him to another similar staircase. The hunter within him tried to memorise every hallway and every turn, but everything looked the same and so he lost track quite quickly.

They stopped in front of another door. It didn’t make a sound, not even a slightest creak when Suga pushed it open to reveal a rather massive bedroom. The ceiling battens are carved and polished, a wooden chandelier placed right at the centre. The walls are arched, the glass windows have patterns on them which allowed few rays of sunshine to seep through the cracks. At the far corner of the room is a wide open-spaced balcony. 

“Welcome to your room.” Suga cheerfully said, standing by the side to let Hinata enter. 

Hinata can only gape at his surroundings. “My room?”

“Well, yes. You need a place to rest in while you stay here right? Do you like it? I personally helped redecorating it!” Suga exclaimed excitedly which took Hinata off guard.

“Stay here?” He echoed. Suga nodded.

“You mean for the time being right?” Hinata asked, voice cautious. 

There it is again, that mischievous smile which makes his legs wobble. “No, silly. You are staying here for good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IS SUGA A FRIEND OR FOE?
> 
> This is the first time I wrote a chapter and published it on the same day! 
> 
> I'm so excited for this fic though because I already have all these ideas in my head. I like to write as we go along the story so I don't normally plan ahead, I just let the ideas come to me. If you've read my other fic (GO AHEAD AND CHECK IT OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T YET HEHE), you should already know that I like to reinforce ideas from other sources such as songs, books, movies, series I've watched, stuff from pinterest/tumblr or from the dreams I get at night lmao. So please don't judge me if the plot becomes familiar to you in some way. 
> 
> AIso, I might change the tags as I write more chapters. I want to include some fight scenes in this (I'll try) and maybe some fluff from our precious pairings but we'll see how detailed they will be, yeah? 
> 
> SORRY ONE LAST THING! I don't really have a regular schedule for when I update. I will update when I'm contented with the chapter and after I've done some editing. But sometimes I get too busy my updates get delayed. OwO
> 
> FINALLY! I want to thank you in advance for giving this fic a chance. Any form of feedback/criticism is welcome. Don’t be shy to comment on what else you want me to include in this fic. Hit that subscribe button to get notifs when I update! I hope you stay for more!


	2. Captive

Shoyo gulped, eyes unblinking and never leaving Suga’s. “Wh-What do you mean? I thought you said you wouldn’t hurt me.”

The room suddenly feels smaller, the four massive walls slowly caging him in, blocking all possible exits and escape routes. He should have known better, noticed the sinister behind the kind and welcoming gestures. He got blinded by the magic, of things he never dreamed were real. 

It wasn’t his fault. Not totally at least. 

When Suga was sent to retrieve the human from his cell, his instructions were clear: Don’t let him escape. Restrain if need be, but do not harm the human. And that’s exactly what he did. Hinata’s innocence, naivety and unusual ability to trust wholly without restrictions is beyond him, but it made it easier to  _ contain  _ him. This boy has something special no other human has.

Which is exactly why he brought him back to the Court.

There was something about him that  _ smelled _ different, something familiar that he can’t seem to put a finger on. For one, he managed to get out of the spell he put him under.

Suga sighed and plopped on the high back chair, crossing his leg on top of the other. He gestured for Hinata to take a seat on the bed but the boy seemed too frozen to do so. Or maybe he’s too alert and scared to let his guard down. He can literally  _ smell  _ it radiating from him. 

He still thinks of him as an enemy, a predator and rightfully so. For a human, all of these don’t make sense. For them, their kind does not exist. They only live in their folk-lores and lullabies, existing solely in children’s imaginations until they grow up and forget. 

“What do you want to know?” Suga started. “I’m sure you have questions you’ve been dying to ask ever since we left the cell.” 

How could I have been so stupid, Hinata thought. He literally followed danger instead of getting away from it. He had been living his whole life in preparation for things like these. Now he’s captured by some unknown individual that kept giving him the creeps. 

Hinata inhaled, commanding his heart to calm down and his breathing to even out. If he wants to get out of here, he needs to gather all the information he can manage. “Tell me what you are.” He says, voice loud and clear, putting up a brave act. It wasn’t a question, it was a command. Like a hunter looking down on its prey.

A smile cracked on Suga’s mouth. Admirable. “I’m sure by now you must already have an idea of what kind I belong to, Hinata.”

He has a clue. But he still doesn't want to believe any of it. Images of magical doors, magical gardens and castle-like homes flashed in his mind. 

His eyes darted at Suga’s face. There is no doubt that this man is beautiful. Too beautiful. His face is chiseled in every fine way possible, pointed ears poking at both sides of his head. His skin is pale and porcelain, with grey hair in addition, he looks ethereal. Faerie-like.

“I want to hear you say it.” Hinata says, his hand suddenly ice cold. He clenched it at his sides, bracing himself to what Suga was about to say. 

It happened in a split second, his heart dropped, his knees slightly buckled. His mouth opened in agape, eyes blown wide.

Suga started to glow. His eyes coming alive like embers.

Hinata stepped back as Suga stood from his seat. His glow slowly dissipating.

“I’m sorry. I went too far.” Suga apologized, reaching his hand for Hinata only to retrieve it back after the human flinched in the gesture. “I’m not - we’re not used to human presence after all. I’m sure it goes the same for you”

Hinata held onto the bed-post, his breath shaggy as if he just sprinted up a hill. “Faerie.” He rasped. “You’re a faerie.”

Suga nodded, returning to his previous seat. “You are correct.”

“How did you find me? Why am I here?”

“Think back to when you were still in the forest. You’ve seen wolves did you not?” Suga asked.

Hinata’s facial features contorted into horror as the realisation hit him.

“That was us.” Suga explained. “I’m not sure how much you know about our kind, but judging by your expression I would say you don’t know much. You humans love to create stories about us and I’m telling you, none of them were close to accurate.”

Hinata finally dropped on the bed as he listened to Suga. The strength of his legs finally leaving him.

“But you have guessed it right, we do have powers, magic, as you humans call it. We like to call it  _ enchantments _ . Depending on our blood-line and which court we belong to, our enchantments may vary.” Suga continued. “You are in the Court of Mist. It’s not a rare ability for us fae but we can shape-shift in command if we need to. Our court specialises in wolf transformations, a channelling connection to the power of the High-Lord that rules this court.”

Hinata gulped. Now it makes sense why he was captured. His arrow had killed one of their own. He’s here because they want to punish him. Torture him until they’ve had enough. He wouldn’t be too hard to break, he thought.

“I’m not sure how you did it, but you ended up in the farthest part of the forest where we normally go for hunting. We sensed your presence of course and tried our best to stay concealed. But you encountered one of ours.”

Hinata’s head is spinning, his vision blurry, tears threatening to fall. He’s scared, no - terrified. It would have been better if he just died from falling off a cliff, in that way his death would be instant. He fought his nerves and strained to meet Suga’s eyes. “Are you going to kill me?” He half-whispered.

To his surprise, Suga laughed. “What makes you think that? Didn’t I say I won’t hurt you? I  _ promised _ . When faes make promises, they tend to keep them to the grave. Think of it as a contract or a bond, even. Once we say the word, it ties us up with that promise. We can never break that unless we die or you die.”

“But, I ki-killed your friend - ”

Suga shook his head. “He’s perfectly fine. Human-made weapons can’t inflict that much damage to us. It would have been a different story if you shot him with an arrow from one of ours.”

“He’s alive?”

“He is. But he had to face some disciplinary actions for exposing himself to a human.”

A large weight got lifted off Hinata’s shoulder. The lump in his throat finally disappeared. “I’m s-sorry.” He apologized, bowing his head slightly.

Suga waved him off. “Please, do not. That boy had to learn his lesson in the hard way. It was his fault for breaking formation and ignoring instructions given to him.”

“What do you want from me then? If the reason why I’m here is not to get punished, then what is it?” Hinata asked.

There was a thin layer of silence. Suga studied Hinata as he sat there, a hand supporting his chin. “You’re here because you’re different Hinata Shoyo.”

“I’m different?”

“Yes. I’ve  _ seen _ you before.”

Hinata blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mentioned before that the powers we possess can either come from our blood-line or from our court.” Suga said and Hinata nodded. “Well, I came from a family of seers. We can see glimpses of the future, you humans call us prophecies. It had been a year ago maybe, when I woke up from a dream. I dreamt of a young boy, orange haired like you, lost in the woods, eyes lidded in fear.” 

There’s more to it, but Suga decided not to say too much. He wants to see it happen for himself. “There’s something in you that drew me the first time we encountered each other. Like a pull from nature itself. You intrigued me, that’s why I brought you here.” Suga explained.

It’s not possible, Suga thought. But his senses wouldn’t lie.

Breeding with Humans is considered treason.

“Hinata, will you tell me about your parents?” He asked. 

Sadness. Sorrow. Longing. Suga didn’t have to use his powers to detect those. Hinata’s face alone is a good enough indication of grief. 

“I don’t remember much about them.” Hinata started. “They died when I was young.”

Suga nodded, “How about relatives?”

“None that I’ve heard of. I live alone.” Hinata says.

His scent isn’t that strong, Suga decided. Maybe it came from his predecessors, but Suga is almost sure that this boy has magical blood in him, no matter how little it is. 

“Interesting.” Suga hummed. “Have you got any other questions?”

Hinata looked reluctant. “Am I a prisoner?”

“I wouldn’t call you that if I’m being honest.” Suga replied. “However, you are still a human. To answer your question, no. You’re not a prisoner. You are free to come in and out of the manor but you are strongly prohibited from stepping out of the court grounds. I will explain further later. But for now, just listen to what I say. No one else can now that you entered the realm. As long as you are here, you will be protected. Do you understand?”

Hinata gulped and nodded his head yes. 

Suga clapped his hands together, Hinata flinched by the sound. “You can ask me some more questions later. For now, we need to clean you up.” 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Where are we going?” Hinata asked as he followed behind Suga. He can tell that they are going further within the manor. Now that he’s aware where he is and what Suga and his kind is, he feels like he is more aware of every detail. 

The rows of pillars they walked past earlier didn’t look as elegant and grand before. There were almost no windows, only glass walls. The estate stretched so far into the horizon, the grounds are littered with trees. There’s so much colour and hues, so vibrant and lively. It reminded him of spring, when the flowers bloomed in the fields and the sky ever so blue. 

They entered a grand hall, his awe slightly subdued at the sight. Right in the middle of the room there is a long table, longer that any he’d ever seen before. And there’s so much food, the smell wafted through his nostrils, his stomach growling in response. 

At least the majority of it looked familiar, roast, soup, bread, boiled vegetables. He was expecting something else, something that’s more faerie-like. 

Suga laughed and led him to one of the oversized chairs. “We might have arrived earlier than the rest. Do you mind if we wait for a few?”

Hinata ripped his attention away from the food and looked at Suga as he nodded. “I don’t mind.” He replied, clearing his throat. 

One of the first things they were taught is to never eat anything that’s been offered to you by a faerie-folk. Unless you don’t mind staying in their realm forever. He knows that and a small part of him is telling him not to touch any of the delicious delicacies laid out in front of him. But he’s hungry. He had been hungry ever since he could remember. 

He’s not that superstitious and as Suga said earlier, humans often get it wrong. And maybe, just maybe, he won’t mind staying here until who knows when. He doesn’t have anything to go back to in the human world anyway. If these folks can guarantee he would never go hungry again, then he would gladly stay here forever.

A set of voices can be heard from the hallway. “Oh, looks like they’re here.” Suga said. “Remember what I told you?”

Hinata nodded, clenching his hands in his lap underneath the table. “I won’t talk ahead unless I’m spoken to first.”

The chatter and the footsteps came to a sudden halt, the hall suddenly became silent. Hinata kept his head low. 

“Oi, Suga. Why did you bring  _ him _ here?” One of them snarled. Hinata stiffened in his seat but he didn’t dare to look up.

“Tanaka, we’ve talked about this.” Another voice spoke.This one deeper, commanding. “Behave.”

Suga cleared his throat and gestured for them to approach the table. By now, Hinata’s heart is pounding in his chest. “Everyone, this is Hinata Shoyo. I expect for you to play nice and make him feel welcome. He’s a guest and is now under the protection of the court. Are we clear on that?”

“Don’t worry. I already talked to them about this.” The deep voice spoke again. The person pulled a chair beside Suga, the sound creating a low screeching sound against the marble floor. 

“Hinata?” Suga gently called him, tapping him on the arm to get his attention. He raised his head slightly, just enough to peek at Suga. “It’s okay. You can speak.”

He allowed his eye to travel at the fae beside Suga. The man has short dark hair and matching dark brown eyes. He possesses a rather large build compared to Suga and he gives off a reassuring atmosphere. 

The man slightly tilted his head as a greeting. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Hinata. My name is Daichi. Welcome to the manor.” 

Hinata blinked, unsure of what to say. It feels like he’s forgotten how to speak somehow.

Someone sitting across from him snorted. “How can you two sit there and tolerate this  _ human _ ? It’s disgusting.”

“Tanaka.” Daichi growled as a warning which sent shivers down Hinata’s spine. He felt Suga place a hand on his shoulder.

“Um.” The person sitting beside this Tanaka cleared his throat. “Hello. My name’s Yamaguchi.” He introduced himself, waving his hand slightly at Hinata, ignoring the glare sent to him by Tanaka.

“Where’s the rest? Shouldn’t they be here by now?” Suga asked. Hinata released a sigh of relief when everyone’s attention finally left him. 

“I ran into Asahi on the way here. He told me they might come in a bit late. He went to go up and pick up Noya.” Daichi replied. 

“I have no idea where Tsukki went. Aren’t both of you stationed for patrol today Daichi?” Yamaguchi asked.

“We arrived together but he went back to his quarters. He told me he’ll come down in a bit.” Daichi sighed. “We had to cover almost half of the border. Including the marshlands.”

Suga’s gentle laugh echoed through the hall. “Was that why you were covered in mud?”

“Yes.” Daichi replied with a groan. “It was the worst day for Noya to ditch us. You had more trouble today than I did though.”

“It was a disaster as you are aware already.” Suga replied, sending Tanaka a less threatening glare. “I’m never taking both of you out together again.”

Tanaka scoffed and crossed his arms to his chest but didn’t say anything as Yamaguchi snickered beside him.

Maybe Hinata had been too young to remember, but he wants to think it had been like this too when his parents were still alive. As far as he can remember, he never once sat in a lively dining table such as this one before. It feels nice.

The commotion suddenly died down. Everyone’s head turned around to look at the newcomers. One of them has long brown hair, a small scruff on his chin. His arm is resting on the shorter one’s shoulders. His wild black hair is ruffled upwards, a tuft of bleach blonde hair falling over his forehead. 

“Finally!” Suga exclaimed, halting the build-up of thick tension in the air. “Took you two long enough.”

Yamaguchi sent Hinata a nervous glance. Suga placed a comforting hand on Hinata’s shoulder.

“Asahi.” Daichi called and the guy with the long hair finally removed his attention away from Hinata. “How was it?” He asked.

“Nothing big enough to be concerned about.” Asahi replied, his eyes flickered towards Hinata for a few seconds then back to Daichi.

The shorter one let out a huff, crossing his arms across his chest, mirroring Tanaka. “You guys are all so stiff. I already told you I’m fine! See?” He exclaimed, lifting his arms to his sides. “That arrow felt nothing but a prick of a needle! Ryuu and Asahi were just over-reacting. Good thing you were there Suga!”

Arrow. 

Hinata stiffened. Suddenly, the air around him made it hard to breathe as the realisation finally sunk in. He stifled a cry and pushed himself further into the cushion.

His rehearsed apology hung on the tip of his tongue. 

Suga sighed in defeat as he gestured for the two to take their seats. “I aged over a century because of you.”

“Noya, you were meant to help us patrol today. You know that he’ll hear about this right? If he hasn’t already.” Daichi said.

“Yeah, yeah. He almost bit my head off today.” Noya replied, waving Daichi off. “What’s his deal anyway? Why’s he so agitated?”

“He’s always agitated.” Tanaka rolled his eyes. “What’s new?”

“I mean extra agitated today.” Noya clarified, emphasizing the word extra. 

“Enough you two.” Daichi scolded them. “He might not act like it all the time, but he’s always looking out for each one of us, especially you two trouble makers.” 

“Anyway, now that almost everyone’s here…” Suga trailed and glanced at the two empty chairs. “Can we finally start eating?”

“No! Wait.” Noya exclaimed. Halting everyone’s movements. Suga glared at him, mostly for shouting over the dining table but half of it was because of the interruption. “We still haven’t introduced ourselves.” Noya continued, his gaze landing on Hinata.

Suga blinked and looked back and forth between the two. “Right. Everyone, this is Hinata.” Suga started. “Hinata, these are Asahi and Noya.” He said, gesturing his hands towards each individual.

“Hinata, huh?” Noya said. “Nice shot back there.”

Hinata flinched and Suga called Noya out as a warning. 

“No, really. You should have seen him. I didn’t even realise he was there!” Noya defended himself.

“How stupid.” A voice interrupted, saving Noya from another lecture from Suga.

He was tall. Very tall, Hinata thought. 

“Tsukki! You’re here.” 

Tsukki clicked his tongue before making his way towards the table to claim his seat. “You’re so loud Yamaguchi.” He complained as he sat down beside the latter.

He smirked when his eyes landed on Hinata. “Oh? If it isn’t the human.”

“His name is Hinata.” Yamaguchi introduced, glancing at Hinata while doing so. “Be nice.” He added, most directly at Tsukki.

Hinata thanked Yamaguchi in his head. Tsukki turned his head towards his direction, not saying anything but just silently observing him. Hinata suddenly felt small under his gaze. 

He didn’t have a chance to panic as the table suddenly became lively again.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No mention of Kageyama in this chapter but he'll be in the next one for sure. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! :)


	3. Hunted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote some clarifications at the end so check it out if you want.

It took a whole lot of persuading before Suga finally allowed him to go hunting on his own. For what? He doesn’t know. Hunting is the only thing he’s ever good at. For years he wished for a life where he did not need to take a risk and dangle himself in different facets of danger, just so he wouldn’t starve. 

During the few days he spent in the manor, he had been well-fed, properly clothed and comfortably sheltered. It was what he always wanted for himself, but he lived in survival for such a long time that he had forgotten how it felt to live normally. As normally as it could get. 

The faes - namely Suga, Yamaguchi and Daichi - had nothing but accommodating and kind. If not for them, he would have carried on with his plan to escape two nights after he was taken captive. Then there’s Noya, overly-energetic and eager to become his friend. And he wants that too, but a small part of him still feels a bit guilty for what he did. Noya should be mad at him, he should be sending him hard glares everytime he gets a chance like Tanaka does. Or do something like Asahi does, ignore him and pretend he doesn’t exist. He might feel better that way, justified for his actions. 

That was why he felt like he had to leave. Not to escape but to be off and on his own, doing what he knows best. It’s ironic how he feels less empty when he’s out hunting. Suga even offered one of their best horses, which he politely declined. He appreciates everything the man does but it somehow makes him feel like he’s fragile, like he’s too weak and needs to be protected at all times. In this world, maybe he is. He had seen how strong they are, how different they are compared to mere mortals. But he wants to believe he’s strong, in his own way. How else would he have survived this long? His mind is telling him it’s just his pride speaking, but he is determined. What else is there to believe otherwise? 

Earlier, over breakfast, he heard them talk about the Blue Moon. He’s heard about it before, something his father once told him back when he was still a young boy. He disguised it as a bedtime story, but he knew there was a warning behind every word - be weary when the moon is tinted blue and at its peak. It wasn’t original, people sing songs about it, in lullabies which lull their young ones to sleep.

The Blue Moon comes along with a slew of superstitions and myths, ranging from moon-induced curses to finding rare fortune. 

“ _Return before sundown_.” Suga made him promise. He’s no fae, so he could easily break his promises but the look on Suga’s face made him nod his head anyways. 

He was surprised when Tanaka spoke, with a tone that was meant to be harsh but his choice of words contradicted his efforts. “Do you really think it is safe for a _human_ to be out there at a time like this? What can he do to protect himself? He’s a weakling!” 

At the corner, Tsukki snickered, not looking away from the page he was currently reading as he spoke. “Have you finally developed affections towards the human? Disgusting.”

“Whad’ya say?” Tanaka growled but Tsukki paid no attention. His smirk is proof of how much he enjoys riling up the older fae.

‘ _I’m right here, quit talking about me as if I can’t hear you_ ’, is what Hinata wanted to say but he held his tongue. Yamaguchi rolled his eyes and gave Hinata a knowing look, ‘ _Just ignore them_.’ 

A slope covered in wet moss sent him down to the forest floor, as he slipped on the path. He fell backwards, his behind perfectly landing on a protruding tree root. “Ow.” He groaned, quickly recollecting himself. How embarrassing it would’ve been if someone saw that happen. To his defence, it’s because he’s still unfamiliar with the area. 

He looked around, surveying his surroundings, ultimately, stubbornly, and pathetically admitting to himself that he is indeed lost. Judging by the position of the sun, he would say it’s sometime in the afternoon. Warm sun streaks breaking through the high barks, the leaves rustling as the wind caressed each branch. Never once he heard a sign of life despite how the forest looked rather abundant. 

The promise he made with Suga echoing in his mind, “ _Return before sun down_.” He only has a few hours left to find his way back. Navigating has never been his strongest point, ironically enough, since that skill is pretty much a primary necessity as a hunter. But the forest back home is nothing compared to this. It’s so easy to get lost in this one. 

A small voice in his head told him he should have taken up Suga’s offer to put an enchantment on him to make sure he will always find his way back to the manor.

The breeze picked up and the hairs at the back of his nape stood. The hunter in him knows something feels wrong. Something is out there, hiding. It feels like he’s being watched. 

Suddenly, he’s back in that forest. His legs sinking in ankle-deep snow. 

He shook his head, forcefully pulling himself back into the current situation.

He gripped his bow, one hand reaching for an arrow from the quiver strapped on his back. Ever so slowly and quietly, he turns around. Eyes wide and observant. His guard is on high alert as he silenced his breathing to hear properly. It’s eerily quiet. His head started to spin.

A dark figure zoomed past at his right, it was like a flash. He spun around, arrow nocked and ready to be released. But there’s nothing there. He must have just imagined it. 

In a split second he saw them.

A pair of eyes that resembled a cat’s, staring straight at him behind the bushes - however, they’re too big for a cat’s. They were blue, no - sapphire. 

_Predator_. Was the first word that came to mind.

His reflexes were fast as he set off to a sprint towards the opposing direction. His lungs burned, his head clouded with fear and urgency. He dared to look over his shoulder but there’s nothing there. He kept running.

He ended up in a clearing, nothing but even larger and taller trees surrounding him. “Shit.” He cursed. He might have gone too deep into the forest without realising. His heart beat started to pick up and he is now covered in sweat. 

Only a few hours left before the sun would finally go down.

Meanwhile, back in the manor, Suga had been pacing back and forth across the main hall for what feels like hours now. “I can’t sense him, Daichi. He should be back by now. We should probably go look for him.”

Daichi sighed as he stood up to stand in front of Suga, cutting off his path. “And we will if he’s not back at sundown. That was your agreement right?”

“You know what day it is today. I shouldn’t have let him leave.” 

“The guys are out on patrol. They should be able to sense it if he’s in danger.”

Suga faced Daichi, face full of worry. “What if they won’t get to him quick enough?”

“Maybe they won’t.” Daichi admitted, which only caused Suga’s brows to furry even more. “But _he_ will.”

Suga tore his gaze away from Daichi, looking at the forest through the glass window, sighing. “That’s another thing I’m worried about.”

“Do you really think it’s possible?” Daichi asked.

“I could be wrong. It’s just a hunch.”

\----------

Three veiled figures surrounded Hinata, their faces are cruelly sharp-featured, eyes pitch-black and depthless. He watched them sway in mid-air, his knuckles turning white for how tightly he’s gripping his bow. 

One of them smiled, revealing slightly pointed teeth. “We’ve not seen one of you for a while.”

“What do you want?” Hinata demanded, keeping his voice steady and cold. Somehow he knows they already sensed his fear. 

It smiled, the two others laughed at his disposal. “My, you ask such dangerous questions _boy_.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” He said, but the words came out choked and forced.

They immediately stopped laughing and Hinata’s blood went cold. “You should be.” One of them said before all three of them slowly closed in on him. They snickered and laughed wickedly. 

“Come, come, human. Let us taste your flesh.” 

“We’ll make it quick. We promise it won't hurt.”

Hinata staggered, losing his balance and falling onto the ground for the second time that day. The ground felt like it’s swallowing him whole. He fought back, earnestly reaching for the knives he strapped on both legs.

Would someone come for him if he cried for help? Would one of _them_ hear his voice if he shouted just enough for his pleas to reach them? In his mind, he called for Suga, Daichi, heck, even Tanaka. He called for everyone’s names but none of them came. 

“Just one bite…”

“Leave me alone.” He whispered as he closed his eyes, willing for this to be a bad dream. He hugged his legs closer to his chest, burying his head onto his knees. “Please, save me.”

Sturdy hands grasped him under the shoulder. Hinata gasped and flinched away, his eyes landing on a hooded figure crouched in front of him. “No, go away!” He cried as he crawled backwards and away from the newcomer. “Don’t come any closer!” He demands, pointing his knife towards the figure.

But the figure is suddenly looming over him. When did he move? It moved too quickly for Hinata’s human eyes to keep up with. His hands were suddenly on him, pulling him to his feet. They were strong hands, warm and broad.

His three previous attackers are nowhere to be found.

What drew his attention was the set of deep-blue eyes that stared right through him, unblinking and ridiculously breathtaking. 

His mind wandered to the others. What happened to them? Shouldn’t they have attacked him by now? Is this hooded figure one of them too?

He came back to his senses, blinking then continued to struggle against the hooded figure’s tight hold. “Stop fighting.” It growled, voice commanding, masculine.

“No! Let go of me!” 

The man growled and the next thing he knows is he’s being lifted, effortlessly thrown over the shoulder like nothing but a sack of potatoes, the same hands that grabbed his arms earlier now gripping the back of his thighs. He accidentally let go of his knife as his arms struggled to find a place to hold onto. 

And then they were running. 

He felt nauseous as they made their way through the forest, around them, the trees fading into a blur. There was a howl coming from a distance and Hinata fought back the urge of calling out for help. He knew it’s one of the guys, it must be. This forest is still a part of the compound and as far as he knows, they are very strict in keeping outsiders away. 

His mind tried to remember who was on patrol today. It’s probably Asahi as he was nowhere in sight earlier that morning. Would he come to his rescue if Hinata calls out to him? Hinata somehow doubts he will.

He almost cried when he saw the upside-down view of the manor. He’s back, he’s somehow safe and unharmed. He was fully convinced that this hooded stranger was going to take him back in his lair somewhere, where he would be tortured first then eaten alive. Anything is possible in this world.

His apparent rescuer slowed down to a jog as they came closer and closer. Hinata noticed two wolves joining them, each one positioned at each of their sides, matching their pace. 

Considering he’s only seen them transform a few times, it was easy enough to recognise who’s who - Tanaka and Noya. Their familiarity tugged at his chest as he felt himself tear up in relief. A few yards away, another one came into view. Tsukki met them halfway, joining their formation as they ran across the field, heading towards the manor.

It was at dusk when they finally came to a stop. He felt light-headed, his knees almost buckled when his feet finally touched the ground. A hand reached to steady him. His head snapped towards the hooded stranger who just stared ahead, not paying much attention to him. The main doors opened and Suga came running down the stairs to meet them, a few robes hung on his arm, Daichi not too far behind.

“What happened?” Suga asked, examining Hinata from head to toe.

There was a shuffle just behind Hinata. He looked over his shoulder only to see a very naked Noya. He spun his head back too quickly, the flush on his cheeks becoming worse. 

“Some lesser-faeries tried to gang up on him, luckily Tobio found him before it was too late! We weren’t too far behind though, right Tsukki?” Noya asked, hands on his waist as he blinked at Tsukki who’s still in his wolf form.

“We need to go back and search for them. How did they manage to get past the border?” Tanaka asked, slipping on the robe Suga handed him.

“And they’ve seen Shoyo!” Noya added.

Daichi looked at Tsukki, a silent conversation passing between them. The wolf didn’t wait any second longer before it turned around and galloped towards the direction where they previously came from.

“Should I go with him?” Tanaka asked and Daichi shook his head slightly. “It’s better if he goes alone. Don’t worry, Asahi and I will join up with him later.”

“You need to be back before it gets dark. Can you make it on time?” Suga interrupted, addressing the still unknown hooded stranger standing beside Hinata. 

He replied in a curt “Yes” and was about to leave but hesitated. “Suga -”

“I know. We got it from here.” Suga reassured him. And then he was running fast back into the forest. Hinata stared at his back until he became nothing but a speck of black in the distance.

Hinata escaped in the library after dinner. His mind is still vivid of the events which took place earlier. No one tried to talk about it at the dinner table, not even Suga, despite looking like he had a lot more to say. He wanted to ask about his rescuer, to know his name, to know whether he’s one of them too or not. Instead, he distracted himself by stuffing his face with food, filling his stomach to an extent which made him feel like he’s about to burst. 

Ever since they came back, everybody had been acting tense. Daichi was stern when he instructed no one gets to leave the manor tonight, with the exception of himself and Asahi who will be out on patrol. Something must be out there, Hinata thought. 

At some point, he dozed off. He woke up when he heard a loud noise, unsure whether it had only been his imagination or if someone had slammed the door pretty hard. He stretched his stiff muscles, then closed the book he had been reading, checking the pages just in case he drooled on them. The night is peaceful and quiet. It must be pretty late, everyone might already be asleep by now. The aisles in the library are pitch black, a shiver ran down his arms as he imagined a pair of eyes staring at him. Only a few candles were lit, some already died down. At least it’s not that kind of darkness which feels like it could swallow you whole.

A generous amount of moonlight spilled through the paned window, it shone like a searchlight, landing on him specifically. Hinata gaped in awe, the moon is high and brightly tinted a shade of blue - the _Blue Moon_. He’s never seen one before, then again, he had been uncovering things which didn’t exist at all before either. 

His mind travelled back to those beautiful pair of blue eyes. To say his eyes were blue is like saying his hair is orange. His eyes were blue, but not the ordinary kind of blue. But that’s not it. It wasn’t the colour that was breathtaking. It had been too dark to have a good look at them before, his hood casting a shadow over his face. But it wasn’t hard to recognise how it held so much depth, their owner’s emotional currents hidden beneath. They were ice-cold as if they never experienced warmth. When he met his gaze, he felt drawn, like someone tugging at his soul, feeling like he was being pulled into a pool of frozen emotions. 

“ _The hottest fires are the ones which burn blue._ ” He murmured, unsure where that came from. Probably from one of the fables or lullabies from childhood.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Strange noises suddenly disrupted the soundless night, followed by a loud sound of glass shattering. Hinata was already on his feet, then down the long hallway, heading straight towards the main hall. 

Noya and Tanaka are both in their wolf forms. Their lips curled into a snarl as their snout crinkled, baring their canines towards the invader. The beast resembles a bat, but it’s size is massive. It's demnted wings touching the floor, black leather-like skin covered with scars, both healed and recently inflicted. 

He was about to call out to them when someone put a hand over his mouth. He was yanked to the side, his arm being gripped very tightly it hurt. “Get him to the windows - behind the curtains. Quickly!” Suga hissed at Yamaguchi. 

Hinata sighed a breath of relief after realising who it was who grabbed him. “What’s -” He started but Suga growled, the sound rumbling from his chest. “Now, Yamaguchi.”

Yamaguchi nodded, Hinata never saw him this serious-looking before. He let Yamaguchi lead him to the window, where he was pushed behind the velvet drapes. He wanted to ask why they didn’t just hide him behind them, but Yamaguchi just pressed his back onto him, pinning him against the wall. 

A wave of sensation washed over Hinata, like a wave of humid air. Yamaguchi’s outline glowed white, his shoulders stiffened. He notices his hands becoming transparent, followed by his arms and torso until his whole body disappears. It was magic - _glamour_ as he recalled Suga once telling him about it. To conceal his presence, to merge his and Yamaguchi’s scent and aura together. 

He peered over Yamaguchi’s shoulder, the wolves are still in their previous position, Suga now joining them but still in his human - fae - form. He took a few steps forward, the wolves growled at the same time Hinata sucked in a sharp breath. Suga signalled for them to stay, Noya and Tanaka obeyed but followed him with their eyes. “What is it that you want? And how did you get past the border?” 

To Hinata’s surprise, the beast answered. “Your defences are becoming weak.” It laughed. “You have what my mistress wants.”

“What is it _she_ wants this time?”

The wolves snarled, the hairs on their back stood. Hinata felt Yamaguchi elicit a low sound that also resembled a growl. 

“The _human_ . We know _it’s_ here.” The beast said, its eyes scanned the room. It lingered a few moments towards where Hinata and Yamaguchi hid before returning back towards Suga. 

“You sent those shadows. They were your scouts.” Suga hissed. “We were wondering how they managed to get past our defences.”

“Unfortunately, your High-Lord scared them away before they could carry out their mission.” It crooned, it's grin widened. “But we still got the information we needed.”

“What information?” Suga demanded, his voice low but steady.

“I’m afraid I’m not allowed to share that information with you.” It said. “Although, I have a feeling _you_ might already know.”

“What information?” Suga asked again, this time it sounded more aggressive. 

“Bring me the human.” The beast demanded. “And I might just tell you what I know.”

“That’s not happening.” Suga snapped, the wolves growled, lowering on the ground, ready to attack. 

“What useless effort.” The beast snarled, then it turned its head to the side, staring straight at the curtains at the far end of the room. Hinata’s breath hitch as the beast grinned wickedly, flashing it’s sharp pointed teeth. “I know where you’re hiding”

Hinata felt Yamaguchi tense, a deep growl escaping his lips. It was the smaller wolf who attacked first - Noya, the grey not too far behind. Tanaka produced a long howl, it echoed throughout the whole manor and into the night. Suga called for them but his voice did not reach them in time. 

They watched the scuffle, Noya and Tanaka are fighting in tandem, taking turns with their aggressive attacks, their movements uniform and sharp. However, the beast still towered over them. They were easily overpowered by it’s sharper talons and bigger build. 

Noya yelped as his back hit the wall, he was quick to push himself back up again but Hinata immediately saw his limp. The beast has Tanaka shoved on the ground, it’s massive hands holding him down, its talons dangerously inching towards Tanaka’s neck. Noya crouched low and jumped on its back, digging his canines onto its shoulder. The beast released a painful screech and tried to shake Noya off.

Then they heard a howl, something that sounds so similar to what Tanaka did earlier. It sounds so far away. Just then, Suga finally transformed. His snow-white fur glistening like silver under the moonlight as he positioned himself in one of the opened windows. Suga howled, it sounded doleful which gave Hinata chills. 

He watched as the beast flung Tanaka’s body a few metres away across the hall, his body hitting the floor with a loud, hollow thud. His body went limp with a whine. The commotion intensified, it was an eruption of snarling, growling and barking as Suga joined the fight. 

Yamaguchi’s whole body is shaking, a series of rumbling noises arising from his chest. Hinata can tell he wants to join the fight but only restraining himself because he had to protect him. 

He’s never felt so useless in his whole life. If only he had his bow and arrows with him. _What should I do?_ He thought to himself. Tanaka’s body is still unmoving. _Please, I need to help them._

Several glass windows shattered, pieces of broken glass flew into the air. Yamaguchi shielded him with his own body as some of the debris ricocheted towards them. 

And there they stood.

Daichi and Asahi charged immediately, Suga dodged just in time before the two landed a solid blow. The beast cried in pain, his footing staggered a bit but quickly recovered. Suga herded Noya away from the scuffle, they settled towards where Tanaka’s body lay, nudging the grey with their snouts. 

Yamaguchi shoved the curtain away, displaying themselves in full view. The beast noticed and he growled, wanting to attack their direction but Asahi and Daichi were quick to block his path.

Hinata hid himself behind Yamaguchi, clutching at his arms with shaking hands. Yamaguchi looked over his shoulder and smiled gently at Hinata, reaching over to pat his head. “It’s okay now. You’re safe.” He said. 

To his left he spotted Tsukki, calmly paying attention to the fight going on in front of them. But there was another. To his right was an unfamiliar wolf, it’s fur black like midnight. He’s much larger than the rest of them, his stance declaring power and authority. 

It turned its head to the side as if it felt Hinata staring.

Blue eyes bored into his, it generated that same pull he felt in the forest. The chaos around him faded into silence, a warm, tingling sensation ignited fire in every fibre of his being. Bitter-sweet emotions burst in his chest, spreading everywhere like wild-fire. 

He gasped when he felt an aura. This one feels different when Yamaguchi _glamoured_ him. It drilled right through the surface and travelled deep until it reached his very soul. He felt every foreign emotion, the longing, the loneliness, the feel of nostalgia - but he realised it wasn’t his. 

Before he could investigate further, the connection snapped and the noise slowly filled his ears again. The wolf looked away as if he got burnt. 

The beast yelped in pain and growled at the wolves who suddenly overpowered him, finally bringing him down to his knees. With steps that were too graceful, too confident, the black wolf approached. The beast was restrained by Daichi and Asahi. 

Hinata barely managed to close his eyes before the wolf violently ripped the beast’s neck, allowing blood to splatter onto the surface of the walls and nearby pillars. 

The beast lay on its side, eyes open but unseeing. 

Hinata’s legs finally gave in. He felt sick. He slumped against the wall and slithered until he reached the floor. He didn’t realise he was crying until a pair of familiar hands wrapped around him, gathering him into a warm embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ran out of brain juice writing this chapter lol
> 
> I realised that there must be some points which were a bit confusing. So let me write down some clarifications:
> 
> 1\. The Blue Moon concept - I know there are different myths and legends out there about the blue moon (all of which are interesting btw). Some of you might have ideas about it but not me. So I just used whatever I can find on the internet and mixed them all together to create my own version of it for this fic so please don't judge. The info is not accurate, it's all made up.
> 
> 2\. The Fight - You might have noticed how Suga and Yamaguchi didn't join in the fight. Well, Suga eventually did but that was only because Tanaka was hurt and couldn't fight anymore. Again, my info may not be accurate, but I always thought during a fight, it's always the Alphas who would attack first. Suga, Yamaguchi and Noya are omegas for this fic. YES I KNOW NOYA WAS THE FIRST DUDE TO GO FOR IT BUT ONLY BECAUSE HE'S SPECIAL. We all know he's a big ball of energy and can't just stay in the sidelines if he can help it. 
> 
> 3\. The Omegas - I already talked about Suga being a seer. But Yamaguchi also have some quirks down his sleeve. So basically he can merge himself with someone else. It's sort of like bonding in a way but only temporarily. That's what he did with Hinata. In a fight, they would just usually stand in the side-lines. Mostly become sort of like a 'support system' for the alphas. That's why they have all these weird powers - Alphas are more physical.
> 
> 4\. Invisible Hinata - When Yams 'glamoured' Hina, he became invisible. This pretty much means Yams can make stuff go invisible too. He didn't just hide Hina's presence but he also physically 'erased' him. Note: Hina was invisible but Yams was not but they were hiding behind the curtain so the beast didn't see them immediately. 
> 
> Yeah, that's about it. Just comment down below if there are anything else I need to clarify. Please don't ask me spoiler questions though. Hehe
> 
> Btw, thank you for the love and for giving this fic a chance. I really appreciate every comment and kudos. It's nice to know what you think so please continue to comment your thoughts and opinions. Criticisms are very welcomed but pls be nice, I'm fragile lmao OwO
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! <3 I'm so excited to start writing the next one!


	4. Encounters

Tanaka is still in the infirmary. Suga said it’s because his injuries were inflicted by a magic-folk, he called it a Fury. “Will he be okay?” Hinata asked just as Suga was about to head back. “Yes he will, it might take a few days for him to fully heal but he’ll be alright.” 

It’s been a couple of days already. The weight of everything that happened is starting to weigh on Hinata. Someone still had to explain to him what the hell happened back there, why was the fury after him and why did everybody risked themselves to protect him when they could’ve just handed him over? 

Well, he’s happy that they didn’t. But somehow, them risking their lives like that made him feel guilty. It was because of him that Tanaka got hurt, why Noya’s left foot is now wrapped in bandages and why everyone else seems to be on edge, patrolling day and night, leaving at least one alpha to guard the manor while they sleep. Do they still even sleep?

It seems like he’s nothing but trouble to them. 

However despite all that, he still hoped they wouldn’t abandon him. After living alone for years and years, he finally found individuals who cared enough to protect him, to laugh with him, those who actually treated him like a friend. He finally found something he can treasure. Even Asahi, who had been the most distant, fought against that fury for his sake.

At least now he knows he’s not totally hated. “Just give him time. He’s overprotective of Noya you see.” Yamaguchi explained once when he asked about it. 

Hinata vomited into the toilet again, his stomach churned even more at the smell and taste of it at the back of his throat. He clutched the toilet seat until his knuckles turned white, desperate to drone out the sound he was making in the middle of the night.

Ever since that incident, he couldn’t close his eyes without getting flashbacks, or nightmares of it in a more accurate sense. It would have been better if it’s the same dream every night, but they keep on changing.

There was one time where Suga got severely injured, his limp body lying cold in the hard granite floor, a pool of blood surrounding him, his hair stained red. Then the next day he dreamed of wolf corpses, all piled up in the middle of the main hall like trash. He was left alone to fight the fury, with nothing but his silly dagger. He woke up just before its claws ripped his flimsy body into ribbons.

The list goes on and on. The same dream never came twice.

Everyone dies. 

Because they tried to protect him.

When it seemed like he was done heaving, he eased from the toilet, not making the effort to tiptoe back to bed. He leaned at the far side of the wall, letting his body slide down until he reached the floor. 

The silver of moonlight spilled into the room, not enough to remove all the shadows, but just enough to lessen the inky darkness. The stillness of the night offered him comfort, it zoned out his thoughts, allowing the words he wanted to say out loud during the day to finally be heard. 

He was almost convinced the moon had been watching him since he came into the manor. Almost as if it’s always trying to say something, the words were silent but somehow still vibrated into the night, whispering words only his ears could hear.

Right now it’s telling him to get up, to be brave and fight against his demons. And that’s what he did. With slow measured steps, he made his way back into the sheets. There’s no need to rush. There’s nothing but nightmares waiting for him.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s still early in the morning. Usually, at around this time, everybody should be back from their posts, excluding the ones out on patrol. It used to be livelier. The manor has never felt so empty before. He wanted to scream, wanted to talk to someone. 

But now that everyone’s busy doing their own thing, Hinata was left alone to entertain himself. He can’t even go back to the forest yet. Suga was insistent on keeping him indoors for a few days, “We don’t know what’s out there. We won’t always be there to protect you.” He said.

He wanted to tell him he doesn’t need protecting, that he can handle himself on his own, but considering the series of events that took place in just one day, he just decided to obey. He would rather die in boredom than get one of them hurt because of him again. 

He had been wandering around the manor for who knows how long. Sometimes, he would look over his shoulder, to see if someone was following him. No one’s there of course. Just his shadow or an old statue kept in a corner, covered in cobwebs and dust.

“Scary.” He muttered as he eyed that one statue behind him. It was of a young man, not too far from his age. He donned rich clothing, a cape draped over his right shoulder, a crown tiara sat on top of his head. He’s a fae, maybe a royalty fae, Hinata decided. 

He found his way down the spiralling staircase, through the brick-walled hallway that led towards the greenhouse. It’s walls and ceiling are all made of glass, a couple of vines crawling every metal frame. It doesn’t look too different from that tree tunnel he saw the first time he came to the manor. There are exotic plants everywhere, some potted in small colourful pots, some are hanging in the ceiling. It looked like spring - must have been the magic.

It’s the one place he was allowed to go to without a bodyguard. It’s technically still part of the manor. Apparently Suga can keep an eye on him that way. Something about feeling his presence and whatnot. 

It’s that split second after he entered when he felt someone else’s presence. The fear is familiar, lighting up his whole being, telling him he should run. His thoughts are scattered, if he was in danger, someone must have known by now. No one would even dare to break in after that incident with the Fury. 

Adrenaline flooded through his system, his heart felt like it’s about to explode, his eyes wide with fear. His body wants him to run for the hills or go straight to the armoury or to his room to fetch a weapon. But instead, Hinata just remained where he was. 

For there’s someone else other than him in the green house, someone uninvited and unfamiliar. The way he just sat there, quiet and alone, with a book in hand did not look threatening at all. Hinata can tell that the man is Fae, his pointed ears and pale skin gave it away. He’s clothed in all black - black shirt, black pants, black boots. Even his hair.

There was absolute stillness, his previous fear replaced with a sense of tranquility. Suddenly the wind stopped rustling the leaves, the clouds stopped casting shadow overhead, not a sound could be heard from inside the greenhouse or in the far off distance. It somehow felt eerie, so instead of being soothed, his senses became even more heightened. He felt like a prey, encased in a glass bubble alone with his predator. But somehow he didn’t feel like he had to flee. 

Then there’s that sudden pull again, that static crackle in the air, like gravitating towards something extraordinary. The man didn’t look up when Hinata gasped, or when he swallowed that big lump forming in his throat, the sound so loud he swore it was loud enough to bounce off the walls.

Hinata took a step back, a very quiet and a very careful one. Then the man looked up, hooking a finger to mark the page he left off. Their eyes met and Hinata wanted nothing else but to run.

And that’s exactly what he did.

He made a sharp turn and collided head on with the glass door in a violet thud. 

His behind found the ground and his forehead throbbed in pain. Blood started running down his nose and dripped on his shirt. He felt dizzy and was about to faint when he felt someone bend down behind him. 

He flinched and staggered away. He almost forgot about the stranger, about the possible threat to his life. 

“Can you stand?” The stranger asked. Hinata swore he muttered something else but he was more focused on the outstretched hand extended in front of him. 

Hinata just stared at it, so the stranger clicked his tongue before grabbing both his wrists, pulling him to his feet. “I’ve never seen someone attack a door before.” He said casually, a faint smirk on his face. 

Hinata ripped his arms away from the stranger’s hold and did his best to look threatening, even though he knew the blood running down his nose might be creating the opposite effect. “Wh-What do you want?”

The stranger shoved a silk handkerchief on his face, looking a bit slightly amused. “You should wipe that blood off your face. You look really threatening with it.”

Hinata took the handkerchief even though it’s against his will. “If you’re here to kidnap me, you should probably forget it. My friends are really strong you see.”

“What makes you think I’m here to kidnap you?” The stranger asked.

“Why else will you be here then? I’ve never seen you before.” Hinata answered, eyeing the stranger from head to toe.  _ Blue eyes. They look familiar. Where have I seen them before? _

The stranger smiled. “Well, I’m not here to harm you in any way.”

“And how should I know you’re not lying?” 

For a second, the stranger’s face looked serious. Something flashed in his face and Hinata was quick to investigate. But he was too late, for that emotion disappeared before he could identify it. 

“Faes can’t lie.” He spoke with utter truth, no restrictions hidden in his voice that Hinata immediately believed him. 

“I heard you can’t break promises too.”

The stranger nodded. “That’s true. I  _ promise _ that I’m not here to kidnap you.”

Hinata crossed his arms across his chest. The bloodied handkerchief clutched tightly in his hand. “So what  _ are  _ you doing here exactly? And what’s your name?”

There’s a wicked smile that spread through the stranger’s face. Hinata gulped. “Another thing about us Fae, is we don’t easily give our names to strangers. It could easily be used against us you see.”

“How?” Hinata asked.

“It can be used to cast spells, enchantments, curses, you name it. It can also be used to steal our identities. Some have talents which allow them to copy someone else’s appearance.” The stranger explained.

“You can’t tell me your name, but you can tell me all those things. What if I use it against you?” Hinata challenged.

The stranger scoffed. “You can’t. You’re just a powerless human.”

“‘Just a  _ powerless _ human’?” Hinata’s brows rose slightly.

The stranger angled his head. “Should I consider you something different?”

Hinata felt a spark of irritation at the amusement tugging at the corner of the stranger’s lips but he quickly shoved it away. “Fine.” He sighed. “If you can’t tell me your name, then tell me why you’re here? You still haven’t answered that and that was the first question I asked.”

“You ask a lot of questions. Are all humans like that?” The stranger asked.

“No. And you’re really horrible at dodging questions.” Hinata countered. 

The stranger shrugged. “It serves my occupation quite well.”

“Which is?” Hinata asked and the stranger paused, taking one step back and shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Another question I can’t answer, I’m afraid.”

Just then, a crow landed on his shoulder. Hinata didn’t even hear it’s wings flapping. The stranger angled his head towards the bird as it cawed and cood. He nodded as if he understood something the bird said before turning his head to look at Hinata. 

He bowed his head slightly before he walked around Hinata to reach for the door handle. Hinata just stared at his back as he paused there for a while. The stranger looked over his shoulder one last time before he continued on his way.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another nightmare woke him up that night but at least this time, he had something to look forward to in the morning. Noya had invited him to go with him to the lake while they were having dinner. Surprisingly, Suga didn’t react like he normally would. But later it was revealed that Tanaka would be tagging along with them. 

The lake looked nothing but ordinary, but Hinata acted like it’s his first time seeing one. “Everything here seems so extraordinary, it’s nice to see something normal for a change.” He said. 

“To you, maybe  _ this _ is normal. But to us,” Noya gestured between him and Tanaka. “It’s quite the opposite.”

“Really? I’ve never thought of it that way.” He admits.

Tanaka put both his hands on his waist as he stood facing the scenery. He hesitated for a while before he spoke. “What’s it like? In the mortal world?”

Hinata was surprised, it wasn’t that long ago that Tanaka had been giving him hard glares and snarky remarks. “Oh, uh, I guess it’s nothing special. Not that I’ve been to a lot of places.”

Noya stretched and lied on the grass. “Where would you want to go Shoyo?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” Hinata shrugged.

“What? Surely, there’s somewhere.”

Hinata thought about it for a while. All his life, it’s always been surviving one day at a time. He didn’t get the luxury to dream beyond what he had among other things. “I don’t mind going anywhere. But it would be nice to see all the awesome places.”

Noya nodded in agreement. “You know, my dream is to travel everywhere. I want to see all the places they mentioned in the books, including the mortal world of course.”

Tanaka scoffed. “You might have to wait for another thousand years for that.”

“Then it’ll be worth the wait!” Noya exclaimed with glee.

It occurred to Hinata that he never asked how old these guys are. He didn’t want to be rude, but out of curiosity, he asked. “Can Faes live that long?” 

Noya and Tanaka both looked at each other. 

“Even longer!” Noya answered.

“You didn’t know that?” Tanaka added.

Hinata shook his head. He wasn’t surprised, just amazed by how amazing that would be. “They stopped teaching us about Fae legends several generations ago. Your kind is almost considered taboo, myths. Only a few still believe I guess, but I don’t think all of them fully believe.”

“Humans tend to only believe in what they can see. No offence.” Noya said. “You must be pretty scared when you realised where you were.”

Hinata smiled. That seemed like a very long time ago. “I was terrified. I actually thought I was going to die that day. Suga, well, let’s just say he scared me at first.”

Noya laughed and it was faint, but it looked like Tanaka cracked a smile too.

“He was pretty insistent we take you back with us. I was half awake that time, but I heard how hard he tried to convince the others to just take you with us and not erase all your memories.” Noya said.

Tanaka side-glanced at Noya. “Should we be telling him this?” He asked.

Noya patted his shoulder while grinning. “It’s fine. I see no harm in it.”

“You were going to erase my memories?” Hinata asked, staring at Noya to urge him to continue.

But it was Tanaka who answered. “It’s bad enough that we let you see us. We couldn’t risk the exposure of our kind. The only solution was to make you believe that it never happened.”

For some reason, that made Hinata sad. If his memories were erased that day, he wouldn’t have found out about the life behind the mist. “Thanks for not erasing my memories.” he started. “And I just want to apologize for what I did. Sorry if I caused you a lot of trouble.”

“Oh you caused me heaps of trouble alright!” Noya exclaimed and Hinata flinched. But he immediately relaxed when Noya started laughing. “But don’t worry about it. It was partly my fault.”

The day went by pretty quick. The sun was about to set and the wind started to catch up and still, the temperature remained warm. “Is it always spring here in your court?” Hinata asked.

“You could say that.” Noya replied as they walked back towards the manor. “As you already know, this is the Court of Mist. We’re considered a part of the Seasonal Courts, there are three others, each ruled by powerful High Lords and the nature of the courts are linked to their High Lord’s magic.”

“What if the High Lord dies or some else replaces him?” Hinata asks. “How would that affect your weather?”

Noya laughed but it was quickly replaced by seriousness. “There’s more to it than just the weather Shoyo. If the High Lord dies, and if there’s no one to replace him, then this court will also die with him. He can’t be easily replaced, whoever gets to replace him must be at least as strong as him if not stronger.”

“Do they have to battle it out or something?” 

“Not all the time. In days of war, they used to.” Noya explained. “For a millenia, this court had been ruled by one family only and it’s the same with the others. In each generation, there must be an heir prepared to rule next.”

Hinata scanned the hills, at the wild flowers growing at the earth, the proud trees which stool tall and mighty. “Your High Lord must be pretty strong.”

“He is.” Noya replies and there seem to be more he wanted to say, but instead he asked. “Do you miss your home?”

Where is home exactly? Hinata asked himself. It’s clear that Noya is talking about his mortal home, back in winter, but now that he’s found this place, he’s not sure whether home is back there or here anymore. “I have nothing to miss.” He replies.

They were almost at the manor when Hinata suddenly remembered the stranger he met yesterday. The one with the black clothes and blue eyes and the semi-arrogant attitude. So he asked. “Did we get any visitors lately?”

Tanaka shook his head as Noya replied. “Not that I know of. Why ask?”

Hinata shrugged, he stared at the gravel as they walked up the trail. “There was someone here yesterday.”

Tanaka and Noya both stopped walking. They turned around to face him, both faces confused and wary at the same time. 

“That’s impossible. The manor is highly guarded.” Noya said, looking at Tanaka for assurance. The latter nodded. “It would have been impossible to get inside undetected.” Tanaka agreed.

“There really was someone.” Hinata insisted. “We even talked.”

Noya was the first to speak, both his hands reached up to rest on both Hinata’s shoulders. “Shoyo, I need you to try and describe this stranger, as much detail as you can.”

“I didn’t feel someone else’s presence yesterday.” Tanaka said but it was mostly to himself. He looked lost in his thoughts, probably trying to remember everything from yesterday.

It couldn’t have been just an illusion, Hinata was pretty sure. But what if it is or what if that was someone who’s powerful enough to break in without getting detected? Hinata shuddered.

“Shoyo, what did he look like?” Noya shook him, shaking him away from his thoughts. 

“Very tall, wearing all black, he was reading a book.” Hinata said.

“What else?” Noya asked.

“He smelled like jasmine and vanilla. Oh! And he had blue eyes.” 

All the concern faded away from his friends’ faces and was quickly replaced by slight amusement. Noya exchanged a knowing look with Tanaka, a silent conversation going back and forth between them. 

Tanaka scratched his neck, an anxious habit, Hinata guessed. “Yeah, him. Yes, we know him.”

“You do?” Hinata asked. 

Noya nodded. “Yup.” He replied, popping the ‘p’ at the end. 

Hinata sighed. “Great. For a second there I thought I was just seeing things. So, who is he?”

“Hinata,” Tanaka started, glancing at Noya as if asking him if it’s okay. Then he says, “You just met the High Lord of the Court of Mist.”

Hinata instinctively stepped back as if Noya had pushed him. His face turned from surprised to disbelief to perplexed. “I-What? That guy...No way.” 

Tanaka started to pick at his fingernails, avoiding Hinata’s gaze as much as he could, leaving all the explaining to his shorter companion. Noya nodded and crossed his arms across his chest, his face saying ‘I know right’? “Yes, way. You sound so surprised?”

“Are you serious? He didn’t look like it at all! Sure he did look very Fae-like and he spooked me and he looked intimidating but he’s too...young? Shouldn’t leaders be older?” 

“How old do you think he is?” Noya asked, a sly smile plastered on his face.

Hinata thought about it for a while, then his eyes widened. “Don’t tell me that guy is ancient. Like a thousand-year old ancient.”

Noya laughed and Tanaka smiled a bit. “He’s not that old. He’s even younger than us.” He said, gesturing between him and Tanaka. “He’s about fifty years-old in human years.”

“Fifty-three. He’s turning fifty-four in a few months.” Tanaka clarified.

“That’s almost three times my age!” Hinata exclaimed. “Do you age slowly or something? Or are you guys immortal?”

“We still die and we still age. So, we’re not immortal. But yes, I guess you can say we age very very slowly compared to you humans.” Noya said. And Hinata flinched a little when he said  _ ‘You Humans _ ’ but he didn’t show it. It’s still an uncomfortable topic to him. It makes him feel inferior. But he knows Noya didn’t mean anything bad about it. But still.

“That’s...so cool!” Hinata exclaims. “It must be nice to be born Fae.” He said, and immediately regretted it. Face-less images of his parents flashed through his mind. For days he observed his friends move around and he witnessed how strong and capable they are. He always wanted to be strong, and he believed he was, until he met these guys. Somehow, he couldn’t help but to feel envious, to wish he too, was like them.

“Don’t say that Shoyo.” Noya said. “Be glad you were born human and you don’t have to go through stuff like we do. All these,” He waved his hand back and forth to gesture at their surroundings. “Are just small facets of our lives. There’s always something else beneath all the magic. And when that disappears,” Something primal flashed through Noya’s eyes. For a second, he looked sinister, but before Hinata could pick it up, it was already gone. “That’s when you discover all the truths.”

The Manor came into view. It’s somehow looked older, more ancient. 

Noya stretched and tapped all the dust which clung onto his trousers. “Well, today was fun. We definitely have to do it again sometime.”

The moment they stepped into the premises, Tanaka and Noya stilled. Hinata didn’t know what that meant but their expressions told him to stand behind. It irked him how hiding is almost second nature to him. But if there’s any danger, or if there’s a new intruder who came to kidnap him, then it’s best to leave it to the guys. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but his strength - all his considerable human strength - is nothing compared to any of them. 

“Noya.” Tanaka said, in a low voice, filled with warning.

Noya nodded. Not looking at Tanaka, but looking straight ahead, more specifically, at the arch-way entrance which would lead to the dining hall. Noya looked over his shoulder, and offered a tooth-wide grin. “You might be right, we do have a visitor.”

Tanaka let out a low growl, his hands fisted at his sides. “It might be best if you go back to your room for now Hinata. We’ll come get you once  _ he’s  _ gone.”

Hinata didn’t even try to protest, and immediately jogged up the stairs. Noya and Tanaka stayed where they were. He was about to clear a few more steps when he heard someone speak. 

“Finally! Just who I wanted to see.” 

There, standing at the top of the stairs, half-way hidden behind the shadows stood a figure. Hinata halted a step mid-way, hand clutched on the railings. 

Noya and Tanaka ran up the stairs, the Fae in front of him waved a hand and the flurry of rushed footsteps halted. Hinata dared to look behind. Noya and Tanaka were frozen. Hinata’s body went cold.

“Such dramatics.”

He spoke again, his voice velvety and smooth, but there’s something sinister about his tone. 

He came out of the shadows and into the light. He’s a Fae and is handsome in many ways than one, though his eyes looked cold and menacing. 

“You must be their new pet.” He said, his voice laced with authority and dominance. His eyes glazed over Hinata, as if he could see beneath all the layers of clothing , through the skin and through his soul. Then it drifted back to Hinata’s face. He must have seen fear, because then his lips curved into a smile. Hinata couldn’t tell if it was fake or not. “Don’t worry about your friends, they’ll unfreeze in a few minutes.”

“What did you do to them?” Hinata gritted through his clenched teeth. 

“I just stopped their time, is all.” He said, shifting his weight onto one leg. Then he dramatically brushed a hand through his hair, and sighed as if he was bored. “I guess it’s my cue to leave. I’ve seen what I needed to see.”

He started going down the stairs, past Hinata and past Noya and Tanaka. Before he could clear the last of the steps, he stopped. Hinata shuffled down the stairs to examine his friends, they still feel warm and it looks like they’re still breathing. Hinata sighed, at least they’re alive.

“You didn’t have to show me to the door Tobio-chan.” He cooed. His long, slender, fingers extended and gestured towards where Hinata stood. “Your pet is perfectly safe and clearly untouched.”

“Get the hell out Oikawa.” Someone growled. Hinata couldn’t see who it was from where he stood. Whoever that was is perfectly hidden behind one of the large pillars.

Oikawa clicked his tongue and turned to his side, a hand on his waist. “How rude, little brother.”

“You try to break in again, without notifying me first, and you know what will happen to you.” 

Oikawa laughed, his voice filled with amusement. “Oh? I’d like to see you try.”

“You’re in my territory.” The voice growled again. “I’m in no mood for your games Oikawa. I’m telling you again, leave.”

“So impatient.” Oikawa said, then his gaze fixed on Hinata. Then he grinned. “Until our next meeting.” He said, then he vanished into a ripple of darkness. 

Hinata’s legs have a mind of their own. As soon as Oikawa was gone, he was already running down the stairs as fast as he could, almost tripping over twice. He quickly turned the corner to see the man was just about to leave, his back facing Hinata.

“Wait.” Hinata gasped and the man stopped where he was. Then slowly, very slowly, he turned around. Hinata wasn’t surprised to see who it was.

It was the stranger he met at the green house. The one Noya said was the High Lord of this court. He seemed different somehow. The playful flair he had the first time they met was now gone. He looked nothing but menacing, his presence is screaming for dominance. Someone who looked like they didn’t need weapons to win a fight.

Hinata gulped and pointed at him with shaky fingers. “It’s you.”

He didn’t respond, but his eyes travelled from Hinata’s head to his feet. He seems to be searching for something, or rather, checking to see if there’s something on Hinata. His eyebrows are slightly furried, though his face remained stoic.

It came out of nowhere, but Hinata felt like he had to reassure him that he was safe. Oikawa, whoever that was, didn’t lay even one finger at him. It was very subtle, but as their eyes met, Hinata felt a spark of worry, of fear and something else which he can’t put a finger on.

Then he realised, those weren’t his emotions. If anything, he feels safe, secured and relieved Oikawa wasn’t one of his deadly kidnappers. 

His gut is telling him to say something. For weird reasons, he felt like he needed to say something reassuring.

“I’m okay.” Hinata said, his voice just somewhere above a whisper. Though it felt like it echoed throughout the hall. “I’m not hurt.”

Something flashed across the man’s eyes, his expression grave. Then he was gone. He  _ vanished _ , just like Oikawa did. But instead of the rippling darkness, his were a swirl of mist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's chapter four done and dusted. Thank you guys so much for reading. I appreciate all the comments and feedbacks. I enjoy reading each and every one of them so please continue. You can ask me anything under the comments section but remember that I won't answer questions if it meant spoiling something. hehe. Criticism is very much welcomed too. 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter! <3


	5. Chapter 5

Hinata was stunned in place. He didn’t move a muscle, not even an inch after the High Lord vanished. Words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. For a moment his mind became blank as he stared at the spot where the High Lord stood just a few seconds ago. 

He searched his mind for a plausible explanation for everything that just happened: Someone managed to get through the border, they managed to get past the guys who were out on patrol. That only means one thing, Oikawa, whoever he was, must be pretty powerful for him to be able to pull that stunt.

A hand clasped his shoulder, pulling him back to reality. Hinata slowly turns around, not surprised to see Noya and Tanaka staring at him wide-eyed. 

Tanaka sniffed the air as Noya scanned him from head to toe, his eyebrows furrowed into a worried frown. “Hinata, are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asked, his grip on Hinata’s shoulder tightening.

When Hinata speaks, his voice trailed slowly, like his words refusing to come out of his mouth. “I’m fine. He didn’t do anything.” He said, his voice robotic. He realised it was the second time he had to reassure someone that day. 

Noya sighed, his gaze lingered at Hinata’s shaking hands for a few seconds before looking up. “I need you to come with me.” He said, as he grabbed Hinata’s wrist, pulling him along with him. Before they finally turned the corner, he said over his shoulder. “I’ll be back.” Tanaka simply nodded and continued to survey the room.

He was too distracted to ask where Noya was planning to take him. He just focused on his feet, making sure he didn't trip as they made their way up to another staircase - up and up until they reached the infirmary.

Noya didn’t bother to knock as he pushed the door open, making a loud entry as he yelled “Suga!” 

Suga and Yamaguchi snapped their heads towards the newcomers. The grey-haired Fae blinked at them, before his face warped into annoyance. “Nishinoya! What did I say about volume? And please, how many times do I have to ask you to knock before entering?”

Noya smiled impishly and finally let go of Hinata’s wrist. Then he says, “Sorry! You need to - hey! What the hell happened to you?”

Hinata followed Noya’s line of sight. A small gasp escaped his lips as he took in Tsukki’s state. The blonde had his back facing them, giving them a full view of his gashes and bruises. It looked brutal and very painful, but the Fae never even flinched when Suga prodded around the wounds to examine it. 

Yamaguchi crossed his arms across his chest, glaring at Tsukki. “That's what I’ve been trying to ask, but he wouldn’t say anything.”

Tsukki clicked his tongue. “It’s none of your concern -”

“The hell it’s not!” Yamaguchi exclaimed. “Anything that concerns  _ you _ , concerns  _ me _ !”

“Yamaguchi.” Suga interjected. “He’s alright. I’ll get him fixed in no time, for now, why don’t you go down and collect these herbs from me?” He said, handing Yamaguchi a folded piece of paper. 

After the omega left, Noya let out a whistle. “Damn, dude. Tadashi must really have you wrapped around his finger, huh? I mean, he’s the only one who's allowed to yell at you like that.”

Tsukki growled. “Shut up, Nishinoya.” 

“So, why did you guys come here?” Suga asked as he gathered the stuff he needed to clean Tsukki’s wounds. “Do you need anything?”

Noya quickly glanced at Hinata before he spoke, pausing for a few seconds before he said, “Oikawa was here.”

Suga was reaching for something at the cupboard and stopped mid-way. He slowly turns around to look at Noya. “What?” He asks, both eyebrows raised. 

Noya sighed and plopped down to the chair beside the bed where Tsukki sat. “You heard me. We don’t know why he came.” He shrugged. “He was about to leave when we arrived, then he saw us. That bastard froze me and Tanaka in place.”

Hinata debates whether or not he should take a seat too.

Suga didn’t say anything, and just focused on cleaning Tsukki’s wound. Hinata almost begged him to say something, or yell at them and demand for an explanation like he usually would. Normally he would have fussed over Hinata by now, checking him limb from limb to see if he had the slightest scratches. 

_ Was he aware Oikawa came? _ Unwanted frustration gradually boiled inside Hinata. Suga is definitely hiding something, and he’s about to figure out what it is. He was about to open his mouth when Suga spoke, as if he sensed what Hinata was about to do, and knew he had no way out of it. 

“Oikawa and Kageyama are half brothers.” Suga started, not looking away from Tsukki’s injuries. “Oikawa rules the South - the Court of Shadows. The brothers have always been at each other’s necks, and it became worse when the King, their father, chose Kageyama as his heir.”

“When the King appointed Kageyama as High Lord of the North, he also appointed Oikawa, his supposed heir, to watch over and guide Kageyama. Oikawa was furious.” Suga explained. “But Oikawa still needed to fulfil his duties. Ever since then, he would sometimes visit the Court of Mist to check up on Kageyama.”

“It wasn’t because of his inexistent brother complex of course, but because he had always been hoping for Kageyama to fail.” Noya interjected. 

“Before he left, he said he came because he wanted to see something.” Hinata said, his hands fisted at his sides. “What was he talking about?”

Suga looked troubled as he struggled to find the right words to say. Hinata and Noya followed his movements as he paced around the room, throwing rolls of gauze and random bottles in his tray. “Hinata, have you ever wondered why I took you here?” He asked as he kept his hands busy.

“I shot Noya. I thought you took me as a prisoner. “Hinata said, pushing away the chill that ran down his spine. “Then I realised it wasn’t just because of that. You had other reasons.”

Suga hummed. “You’re right. We could have just ended your life right there.” He said and Hinata flinched. “But not because you shot Noya. We were aware it wasn’t deadly since the arrow was human-made… But you, a human, managed to discover our existence. That alone should have been enough reason for us to kill you.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Hinata urged. 

Suga paused. “Because of your scent. Tanaka and Asahi were too fixated on attacking you that they did not notice immediately.” 

“My scent?” Hinata asked.

“Suga.” Tsukki warned, but Suga ignored him and carried on. “I wasn’t sure at first. We found your body while you were sleeping. You were so deep into the woods you managed to end up in the area where we normally hunt.” He blinked as if he was trying to recall all the details from that day. “We tried to avoid you, naturally. But then we realised Noya was gone.”

Noya laughed nervously but didn’t say anything as Suga continued. “We set out to find him. Tanaka and Asahi found him first.”

“They caught the scent of my blood first since they were closer than the rest.” Noya added. “I was bleeding so much, I really thought I was going to die!”

“Anyway, I just made it in time before they could attack you.” Suga said as he wrapped Tsukki’s torso with bandages.

Hinata’s brows furrowed. “So, why did you stop them?”

“I recognised your scent.” He said. “I thought you were someone else.”

“I don’t understand.” 

“Hinata, your smell…” Suga started. “Your scent - smells so much like the High Lord’s.”

Hinata’s eyes widened. “How?”

“We don’t know the reason why.” Suga explained. “It’s similar but it’s not totally the same. That was why I asked you about your parents after I took you here. At first I suspected you had Fae blood and somehow you guys are related to each other.”

“I caught it too.” Noya interrupted. “I thought Kageyama was just around so I didn’t think much of it at first. But then when you came out of your hiding place, that’s when I realised it was coming from you.”

“I wanted to investigate you. To find out why you smell like him.” Suga said, finally turning around to look at Hinata. “But then I remembered the vision I had once.”

“He doesn’t need to know this.” Tsukki pointed out. 

“No. Tell me.” Hinata pleaded. “I need to know. Please.”

“You have to realise that my visions are merely glimpses of the future. It can still alter and I could have just easily misinterpreted it.” Suga said and Hinata simply nodded, urging him to continue. 

Suga inhaled a deep breath before he spoke. “I saw a boy, a human boy, with flame-like hair, just like yours.” Suga said, pointing at Hinata’s orange mop of hair. “You knocked on the door. You were scared, you were crying.”

Suga glanced at Hinata before continuing. “Then the High Lord - Kageyama - he opened the door from the inside, and he let you in. Then…” 

“What?” Hinata asked breathlessly. “What happened next?” He asked. His heart started pounding in his chest.

“A dark tattoo swirled on your left hand, it kept getting bigger and bigger until it covered your whole left arm.” Suga said. “Because of that vision and your scent, I believed that crossing paths with you wasn’t just a coincidence. In one way or another, your fate is tied to our world. That’s why I brought you here.”

“Oh.” Hinata mused. It doesn’t make sense. There must be something significant about that tattoo that he is unaware of. It sounded like there was more to it, but Hinata didn’t have enough time to ask before Suga continued, inhaling a deep breath before he spoke. “We think our enemies must have caught on your scent too and are using you to gain leverage over Kageyama. You smell so much like him. They probably think you are the High Lord’s mate.”

“Mate? But I’m not.” Hinata says. “Was that why Oikawa came too?”

“Oikawa is unpredictable. Until now, we still can’t decide whether he’s on our side or not.” Suga replied. “However, I doubt that he came with the intention to harm you. I bet he just came to get under Kageyama’s skin. He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

Hinata shook his head. Oikawa’s silky voice echoed inside his head.  _ You must be their new pet. _ “If he didn’t come for me, then what was his purpose?”

“We would like to know the answer to that too. Maybe his reason is the same as ours. Sharing the same scent with someone who isn’t your mate - that never happened before.” Suga sighed. “It would’ve been better if our paths didn’t cross that day. No one would have found out about you if I never brought you here. I apologize. It was me who put you into this situation.”

That night Hinata did not show up for dinner. No one came to find him and forced him to eat, which he’s somewhat grateful for. He needed to be alone, to think for himself. 

Everything Suga told him was overwhelming. How did he manage to get himself involved in such a mess? Now it makes sense why that Fury came, why those veiled shadows tried to attack him in the woods, and why the wolves are trying so hard to protect him. 

His nightmares came the moment he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overcome his consciousness. It felt like being trapped in someone else’s mind - like a flashback or as if he’s seeing through someone else’s eyes.

It was filled with darkness, an overwhelming force echoed into the abyss. There was no end and no beginning. Something scraped inside his mind, like sharp talons - or claws. Soft, seductive, it made him shiver. 

_ “I will bow down to no one, not even my crown, but you.”  _ It said.

Then he was free-falling.

Hinata gasped for air, desperately trying to wake up and screaming for help, yet no one came. He was falling into darkness, into nothingness. His hand shot up, as if trying to reach for something, for someone. 

_ “Hinata!” _ Someone yelled, their voice slightly muffled as if he was underwater. He wanted to scream, let them know where he is. But no words came out of his mouth. His voice was silenced, absorbed by the void surrounding him. He let himself fall, closing his eyes and waiting when he’ll reach the bottom.

He was yaked, stopping his free-fall.  _ “Hinata!” _ They yelled again.

As if rising to the surface, the voice became clearer and louder. He sucked in a breath, filling his burning lungs with cold, midnight air. Hands gripped his shoulder, shaking him back into his senses. “Hinata! Wake up, Hinata!” 

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes. It took a while before he realised where he was, and what happened. It was just a dream. He looked around and spotted Yamaguchi kneeling beside his bed. “You were having a nightmare. Are you okay?” He asked.

Hinata sighed and let his head fall back into the pillow. He stared at the ceiling as he cleared his thoughts and calmed his breathing. But then something exploded in the distance. His head snapped to look at the open balcony. “What was that?” He rasped, voice lidded with sleep.

He felt Yamaguchi rise to his feet. “We’re under attack.” A series of explosions followed after, disrupting the peace and tranquility of the night. “We need to go.”

“Go where?” He asked, eyes wide and feet wobbling as he got himself out of bed, following Yamaguchi out of the door. He had to pinch his hand twice to make sure he’s really awake. 

“Just follow me. Hurry.” Yamaguchi demanded as they raced down the stairs, heading straight to the library. 

It was dark but the moonlight was enough to illuminate their path as they ran down the aisle towards the far end of the wall. He heard a series of clicks, followed by mechanical whirring. Yamaguchi told him to step back, and he did.

The wall opened, revealing a secret hideout. It looked like a study, the walls are neatly lined up with books, their spines facing outwards. Dust collected everywhere, as if the room had been abandoned for a long time. A single candle was the only source of light. 

Suga looked up from the map spread out on his lap, relief flashed across his face when he spotted Hinata. The walls aren’t enough to muffle the noise from outside. 

“What’s happening?” Hinata asked, walking towards the couch as Suga tapped the space beside him.

Suga smiled as a way of greeting and for Hinata's benefit, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “The rebels are attacking the border. They caught us off guard, we never expected for them to advance so soon.”

“What do they want?” Hinata asked.

“They’re the enemy's pawns.” Yamaguchi explained as he claimed the armchair facing them. “For days now, the guys have been investigating neighbouring attacks within the region. There weren’t any casualties, but they still left some damage.”

“They want to overrule the kingdom. First, they want to destroy every court.” Suga added, his voice grave. “Starting with the Court of Mist and Court of Shadows. They want to make sure the King is left without heirs.”

A thunderous explosion echoed through the night and bounced against the walls of the study. It sounded so far away, a safe distance away from the manor. Yamaguchi busied himself with a book, but his fingers twitched as another series of explosions followed after.

“The guys - they’re all out there?” Hinata asked.

“Yes.” Suga nodded and absentmindedly traced the necklace that hung visible from his neck. The pendant looked like a spear head, rusty and rough on the edges. “Our orders are to keep you safe.”

Guilt came bubbling in his chest. “Why would you put so much effort into keeping me safe?” He said, too quietly.

“We can’t just leave you alone when we know you could possibly be targeted, Hinata.” Suga replies, but it didn’t sound the whole truth. “You are under this court’s protection as long as you are here.”

And it hit him like a brick. He’s a distraction, another baggage they need to carry. Suga and Yamaguchi are stuck here in the manor with him when they are most needed out there. 

Yamaguchi closed his book and sat beside Hinata, nudging him with his elbow to get his attention. “I know what you’re thinking. Let us protect you. We’re worried about you too.”

“The pack can handle themselves.” Suga reassured Hinata. “Those guys are monsters when it comes to fighting. If anything, the rebels should have known better.”

Silence fell upon them, their minds are somewhere else. Hinata listened to the chaos happening beyond the walls. He wondered when the morning would come, and wished for it to come sooner. 

After a while, the noise finally started to die down, or maybe it already did ages ago and he just didn’t notice. He wondered who won, and hoped no one got seriously hurt. Are they on their way back? His eyes fluttered close, as if they too got seriously worn out.

He zoned out, curled against the couch as he listened to Yamaguchi and Suga’s muffled conversation. Then the door opened, he could hear footsteps but he was too tired to open his eyes to see who just came. 

“The court is secure.” Someone said. “Tsukki and Asahi are still out there securing the border. They’ll come soon.”

“Let’s talk about this later.” Suga said. “We need to fix you guys up.”

It was Yamaguchi who replied. “But, Hinata --”

“He’ll be alright. Let him sleep.” Suga said and there was a brief pause before he heard them leave. 

He didn’t want to fall asleep at a time like this, he wanted to greet them properly. He fought with everything he had, forcing his mind to stay awake. But his head is a puddle of goo, a result from countless nights with restless sleep. 

Warmth enveloped him like a blanket, a soft sigh escaped his lips. He shifted, head leaning towards the scent of jasmine which reminded him of spring. Infinite darkness consumed him as he begged not to be woken up. 

_ “Sleep, Shoyo. Let the stars take care of your dreams.” _

He let the void and starlight reel him in. If falling into nothing is all it takes, he would gladly throw himself into that bottomless pit. He was in that moment -- that paper-thin break between consciousness and unconsciousness. And he’s free-falling, swirling with the beautiful chaos of a pleasant dream.

Hinata slept, better than he ever did ever since he arrived in the manor. There were no dreams, no nightmares, nothing. It was nice. After consecutive nights of twisting and turning in bed, he finally had a break. 

He woke up, feeling refreshed for the very first time in weeks. He’s still in the same spot as last night. Someone must have placed a blanket over him last night, he made a mental reminder to thank Yamaguchi and Suga later. 

The early morning sun has already risen, allowing a few streams of sunlight to waft through the window. The world feels serene, the terrors from the night before gone without traces. 

Very slowly, he pulled himself into a sitting position, massaging his sore muscles. Only then he heard the voices coming from outside. He tiptoed towards the crack by the door, his toes numb from the ice-cold floor. 

“...she’s getting stronger and stronger day by day. Who knows what she’ll attempt next. My court is nowhere near ready for war unlike yours.” Someone said.

Something scraped against the floor, Hinata gulped thinking he had been spotted. But their conversation kept on going, he sighed in relief. 

“Kuroo’s right, Kageyama.” Another voice said. “And now you’ve made yourself even more vulnerable. The Seasonal Courts won’t be able to survive if you fall apart.”

“I won’t let that happen.” Hinata recognised the voice as the High Lord’s. “Although, I can’t promise to stop the war from happening.”

They paused, and Hinata thought that was the end of their conversation, but then someone spoke, Kuroo he guessed. “That human,” He started and Hinata stood frozen from his hiding spot. “Could cause you your downfall.” 

Kageyama growled, “He has no part in any of this.”

“Your attention has been divided ever since you decided to house him.” The unnamed voice said. “I can’t believe someone managed to slip past your guard. Suseri’s minion no less!”

Someone slammed a hand down the desk, followed by a slight hiss. “Do not speak of her name inside my court.”

A sigh. “Bokuto’s right. It was after  _ your _ human, wasn’t it?” Kuroo said. “I’m warning you now, not that you don’t know this yet. But it’s just the beginning. More of her minions will come and despite how powerful you might be, it’s still impossible to be at two places at once. Even for you.”

“Don’t tell us the rumor is true?” Bokuto laughed. “What will your father think! His favourite son, and heir, mating with a human!”

Hinata’s eyes widened. 

“Those rumors are false, and you know it.” Kageyama replied.

“He’s living under your roof, under your protection and no one else has seen him yet. It only fuels other’s suspicions.” Kuroo pointed out. 

“Kageyama, we’re serious.” Bokuto sighed. “Suseri is very capable, you know this very well. This human can be used against you if you’re not careful. She thinks you’re mated, and the way you’re acting only validates her belief that this human has now become one of your...  _ priorities _ .”

There was a pause, and Hinata decided he had heard enough. He was about to go back to the couch when Kuroo spoke again. “What Bo is trying to say is, you’re very much acting out of pure instinct. We get it, you can’t fight it. But time may come where you will have to choose sides and you might not be in your right mind to make the best call.” He said. “Besides, an Alpha will always come for  _ his _ Omega, am I right?”

* * *

“I want to go.”

“No.”

Hinata crossed his arms, tucking his hand under his bicep. “It’s been a week. Nothing’s happened, and I’m not even going that far --”

“No.” Sunstreaks streamed through the glass ceiling, brushing Kageyama’s raven-black hair as he flipped another page, ignoring Hinata totally. His face -- annoyingly handsome in broad daylight, looked ragged and tired. It made Hinata wonder if he still sleeps, considering they’re always out and about, investigating more rebel attacks in the surrounding areas. 

Hinata redirected his glare at the flower pot situated just above the High Lord’s head, and imagined he had the ability to move objects with his mind. “But, Noya and Tanaka will be there and --”

“I said. No.” Kageyama hissed, sparing just a glance at the cause of his early morning headache. “It’s too risky.” He added before going back to his book, silently begging for Hinata to drop it already.

Earlier that day, Hinata heard the wolves will go out hunting. He can’t even remember when he last set foot out of the manor, and so he begged Suga to let him come along. He was disappointed when Suga told him no, in the nicest way possible, by patting him on the head and saying, “I’m sorry Hinata. But Kageyama wants you here.” Followed by, “But maybe, if you try and ask him yourself, he might just change his mind.”

So Hinata immediately set off after breakfast, with a mission to locate the whereabouts of the High Lord which he hadn’t seen for more a week. He found him quietly lounging at the green house, surrounded by garden plants which made him look ethereal. 

“I thought I’m your guest, not your prisoner.” Hinata pushed, totally aware that if he pushed a little bit more, Kageyama might finally cave in. “It would be nice if I’m actually treated like one.”

Kageyama stopped mid-way from flipping a page of his book, his frown lines visible from where Hinata stood. Hinata almost patted himself on the back for successfully getting the High Lord’s attention, but his smug expression was quickly wiped off his face when Kageyama turned his head to the side, wearing an expression which clearly says,  _ Don’t push it. _

“It’s not safe.” Kageyama said, “Especially not for you. Besides, you will be hunting with wolves. You won’t handle it.”

Hinata wasn’t thinking when he blurted out the first thing in his mind. To his defence, he was desperate, and if safety is the issue then there’s only one solution. “Then come with us. That way, you can babysit me all you want while the others hunt.”

Kageyama cocked a brow. “No.”

Hinata sighed and came closer, now standing directly in front of the High Lord. Kageyama looked up as Hinata shadowed over him. “If you’re there, then no trouble will come to us right?” Hinata shrugged, as if it was the simplest solution there is.

“Give me a reason why I should bother.” Kageyama retorts, leaning back on the bench and crossing his arms across his chest mirroring Hinata. “I’m really busy you see. Convince me.” He challenged.

And Hinata is not one to back down from a challenge. So he says, “If you say yes, then I’ll try not to leave the manor for another week.” 

Kageyama scoffed. “Try again.”

“I don’t know!” Hinata sighed in frustration. “I’ll, uh, do whatever you want, so please? Can I go?” 

Hinata almost regretted it after those words left his mouth. Kageyama looked pleased, an amused gleam flashed on his face. “You really should be careful of what comes out of that annoying mouth of yours.” 

“I mean it.” Hinata stood his ground, refusing to back away now that they’ve come this far. “So, what would it be,  _ your highness?” _

Kageyama’s expression darkened, but he quickly brushed it off before Hinata could catch it. “Fine.” He huffs, finally giving in. “Go ahead and get changed.”

Hinata didn’t waste another second, and sprinted his way back towards the manor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should name this chapter: Bokuto and Kuroo joins the group chat... If you can think of a good one please let me know.
> 
> Same with Oikawa's case I guess, idk if they'll have a major role in this just yet but we'll see. 
> 
> TBH I had high hopes for this chapter but I had a "writer's block" moment and struggled just a tiny bit. I gave up after the fifth draft, edited it a bit and tadaaah! I feel like I coulda done better tho???? Idk. 
> 
> Remember that "mistress" from the previous chapters? She has a name now, and yep, Suseri is the name (a random name I found on google). 
> 
> You know the drill: lemme hear your thoughts, questions, suggestions, etc. I LOVE READING THEM! THEY LITERALLY BRIGHT UP MY WORLD! 
> 
> A bit of a side note: Big sad bc Haikyuu got postponed. But let's not blame the production team yeah? It's Rona's fault. (I just found some posts on twitter from ppl whining about it eeeeeek). 
> 
> ALSO, thank you so much for still reading this. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. <3


	6. Chapter 6

Hinata missed for the fourth time in a row, which for his part, is quite embarrassing. He huffs, squares his shoulders and stomps ahead, eager to put as much distance as he can from his bodyguard. It was bad enough that the animals seem to sense Kageyama’s presence from a mile away, resulting for them to scurry away even before Hinata sees them, but it wasn’t just the animals who can feel the overwhelming presence of the High Lord. It would have been better if Kageyama had been making conversation, no matter how snarky and rude it would be, instead of just silently monitoring him like a hawk, maintaining a few steps behind. 

He never felt the need to impress someone before, he trusted what he can do and he proved capable enough with his hunting abilities. It was his only strength, he could at least show Kageyama that, prove to him that he’s not completely weak for a human. 

But the more he tries, the more his aim sucked.

Sunshine filtered through the canopy of leaves above them, the birds happily chirped above the branches, the sun is high and the sky is a sea of blue, not a cloud in sight. 

“How long do you plan to keep this up?” Kageyama says, casually leaning on a tree, sporting a very bored expression on his face. “C’mon, let’s head back.” He says, for the third time since they left the manor. 

The High Lord’s pestering played on Hinata’s nerves, his paper-thin self-control almost on the brink of ripping apart. “But I’m just starting to get a hang of it!” Hinata whines. 

Kageyama cocked a brow, and smirked lazily at Hinata. “First of all, your posture sucks. Second, you release a second too late. Third --”

“I’ll have you know I’ve been doing this ever since I can remember.” Hinata’s blood raced, clenching his hands tightly on his bow, about a second away from flinging it towards Kageyama. “And I didn’t have a problem with it before. Maybe it’s because of you.” He points an accusing finger towards the now amused High Lord. “You’re…” **_Distracting_ ** _._ “...scaring them away.”

It was a fleeting moment, but Hinata swore he saw the corner of Kageyama’s lips twitch, a smile threatening to form, before he cleared his throat to hide it away. “The squirrels are innocent. Don’t blame them for your _perfectly_ horrible aim.”

“I hate you.” Hinata seethed before stomping away, an angry pout plastered on his face. 

What came out of Kageyama’s mouth stopped him from stomping away even further. He knew the High Lord didn’t move away from his spot, but still, his voice was loud and clear. “You should.”

He spins around, a little too fast which almost gives him a whiplash. Something about those words stung, making Hinata want to take back what he said previously. “What?” He choked.

But Kageyama was now standing upright, his stance defensive, eyes scanning the greenery around them. The hair on Hinata’s nape stood, something about Kageyama’s action made him draw his bow, pointing towards the direction where the High Lord stared.

Kageyama whipped his head to look at Hinata, his eyes alarmed. “I need you to listen to me very carefully.” He says, his voice low and stiff. Hinata gulped as he nodded absentmindedly. “Put your bow down and walk towards me.” He instructs, extending his arm towards Hinata.

Hinata took careful steps, then he heard rustling behind the bushes. He was about to snap his head towards the direction of the sound, but Kageyama’s voice boomed in command. “Don’t look. Keep your eyes on me.”

Kageyama’s sharp blue eyes bore into Hinata’s brown, forcing a sharp intake of breath from the human. Kageyama didn’t blink, and so did Hinata, not until after their fingertips touched or even after that. 

And then that’s when Hinata felt it.

The hair on his nape stood, a shiver ran down his spine. Kageyama clutched his hand tightly, pulling him closer to him as much as possible. “Don’t react to whatever you might see or feel.” Hinata nods. “And don’t look no matter how tempting.”

A cold breeze blew past, and Hinata shivered. Then something ancient, hollow, whispered:

“ _I have what you seek. I know what your heart truly desires. I will give it to you. All you need to do is ask. All you need to do is look.”_

Hinata’s eyes dropped towards Kageyama’s chest, his shoulders slacking, his mind blank, hearing nothing but the voice in his head. 

_“You are carrying so much burden, such unfair fate. You have questions yet to be answered. I can give them to you now.”_

A sensation brushed against Hinata, circling, clawing -- he could not see it but he could feel it. He hears Kageyama saying something, but his voice is clouded, muffled and the voice inside Hinata’s head only seems to get louder and louder.

_“You want to look at me.”_

Hinata wanted to look, _needed_ to look where it was -- but Kageyama told him not to. He trusts Kageyama. Kageyama will keep him safe.

_“He does not care. You are nothing to him.”_

He wants to respond, fight against it. But he feels weak, powerless. 

_“Look at me.”_

Hinata wanted to scream for Kageyama, but his throat had already closed up. 

_“Look at me.”_

He imagined the night sky, dark and littered with starlight. He focused on Kageyama’s rough, warm hands, wrapping around his own. He tries to call for him again. 

**_Kageyama._ **

_“Look at me.”_

**_Kageyama._ **

_“Look. At. Me.”_

**_Kageyama!_ ** He called, one last time, before he felt his will slowly starting to crumble. The last of his walls finally breaking into ruins. His eyes strained as he choked on a sob. He wants to look -- no, he needs to look. 

_“Look at me.”_

And just as he thought he would finally give in, the cold suddenly disappeared, and he hears another voice, faintly, coming from somewhere he can’t pinpoint. It felt warm, safe, like his favourite lullaby. 

**_I’m here._ **

Hinata gasped at the familiarity.

**_Hinata, open your eyes._ **

He didn’t at first, because what if it was a trick? But then he felt Kageyama squeeze his hand, letting him know he’s still there, reminding him where he is -- in the forest, with him and he’s safe, so he squeezed his hand in return.

**_You’re shaking. Breathe, Hinata._ **

He held his breath for a few seconds, then released it, nice and slow before taking another deep breath. He did so repeatedly, feeling his heartbeat gradually return to normal.

**_You’re doing well. Keep breathing._ **

And he did, again and again until he got a few of his senses back. He can feel the cool forest breeze blowing through his hair, he can feel his legs again, feel Kageyama’s warmth due to their close proximity, getting a whiff of something musky and freshly picked jasmine. Just when he’s starting to calm down, another chill runs down his spine. He sucked in a breath, his pulse increasing once again, throwing all that progress out of the window.

_“I will crush your bones. Grind them until they become fine as ash. I will devour your sweet soul, make you scream in agony even the earth will shake. My shadow will always follow you, until I get to devour you.”_

**_As long as I’m here, no one can as much as lay a finger on you._ **

Hinata shivered when he heard it. He focused on Kageyama’s words, every syllable sounded like a promise. Kageyama is slowly drifting away, he can barely feel his hand anymore, but he is confident that he’s still there. 

**_Hinata._ **

He felt a warm brush on his cheek.

**_Open your eyes for me._ **

He wants to tell Kageyama he’s scared -- no, terrified. He wants to believe the words he said, but his body somehow doesn’t want to obey his wishes, as if they knew he shouldn’t let himself be swallowed by temptation.

**_Shoyo._ **

And so, as if a moth attracted to a flame, he let his eyes flutter, allowing barely a crack just enough to spot Kageyama’s blurry figure. He opened his eyes more, slow, careful, ready to close them back if need be. He let his gaze travel from Kageyama’s chest, towards his strong jaw, until it landed on his slightly parted lips.

Then Kageyama’s ocean eyes found his and the world previously void of colour finally returned back to life. 

**_There you are._ **

Kageyama said, but his lips weren’t moving. 

**_Where are you Hinata?_ **

He stared at Kageyama’s lips, waiting for the slightest movement, but there was none, not even a single twitch. He dragged his gaze back on the High Lord’s eyes, questioning.

**_You’re alright. I’ve got you and no, this isn’t a dream._ **

Finally he finds his voice. “How are you doing that?” He whispered but Kageyama only smiled -- a once in a blue moon smile that fluttered the wings of the dormant butterflies in his stomach.

**_I will explain later, for now, we should go back._ **

The ground beneath him crumbled, the darkness roared and the wind tore at his arms and legs. There was only Kageyama to hold onto, and so he clung to him for dear life, the pads of his fingertips hurt with the friction as he gripped the fabric of his shirt.

And then everything became still as the darkness vanished. 

They were back in the manor. His eyes strained, tears threatening to fall, and so he let them. One by one, they raced, leaving a trail of warmth behind them. Kageyama caught every last one before they even reached his chin. 

“W-What was that voice?” He whispered, afraid that whatever lurked behind might hear. Kageyama’s face was slightly pale when he answered. “Names have power. It’s best if we don’t talk about it here.” Kageyama answered back, brushing the back of his finger against Hinata’s damp cheek.

“I didn’t look. Like you said.” 

And Kageyama smiled. “I know. You did well.”

“Why couldn’t I look?” Hinata couldn’t help asking, fully aware of Kageyama’s warm palm at the low of his back. He didn’t try to let go of the High Lord’s hand or stepped away from him. He stayed because that’s where he felt the safest and Kageyama didn’t let him go.

“It takes physical form the moment you acknowledge it - simply by looking, then it can really harm you.” Kageyama explained, then his expression became solemn, when he spoke again his voice was almost a whisper. “Even I won’t be able to stop it from happening.”

“Was it --” Hinata swallowed. “Was it also after me? Was that why you wanted me to stay in?” He asked.

Kageyama shook his head, Hinata couldn’t tell whether which question it was for. “The Bogey exists everywhere, wherever there’s shadows or darkness. It feeds on your fears and targets your will before it swallows your soul. I wouldn’t have predicted for something like this to happen.” 

“I thought you said _names have power_ , whatever that meant.”

Kageyema smirked. “It means, powerless beings like you shouldn’t go around saying names like that out loud. It holds nothing against me, I can overpower everything in tenfold.” 

Hinata actually rolls his eyes. “Sure, sure. But what if I say _yours_?”

Blue eyes pinned him on the spot, looking more like an animal than a Fae. 

**_Do you fear me?_ **

“No, I don’t.” Hinata gulps, though his actions are saying otherwise. “How can I hear -- Kageyama, I can hear you think!”

“It’s about time you noticed.” Kageyama said out loud, brushing the locks that strayed on Hinata’s forehead and he leaned closer, his lips barely brushing Hinata’s ear. “I’ll let you in on a secret -- I can hear yours too.”

Hinata pulled back, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. “You can _read_ minds?”

And Kageyama softly chuckled. “Unfortunately, I can only read, or rather _hear_ yours.”

“So cool -- wait. How long have you been listening in?” 

“Long enough.” Kageyama smirks and before Hinata could hit him, he already vanished in a swirl of mist. He swore he could hear an echo of the High Lord’s laughter in the air.

**_Asshole._ **

He thought, and the answer came almost instantly.

**_I’ve been called worse._ **

* * *

Hinata stared at him.

He stared back at Hinata.

His cheeks are tainted pink, eyes glassy and blown wide. Beads of sweat lined his forehead, his chest heaved up and down in a shallow and fast rhythm. A stray tear leaked at the side of his eye, followed by another and another. His lips trembled as he tried not to sob, his small shaking hands clutching desperately onto Kageyama’s shirt.

“It’s okay. It’s just a nightmare.” He says, as gently as he can, as he hovers over Hinata’s bed in the dark. “You’re okay. No one’s going to hurt you.”

When he saw Hinata for the very first time, he didn’t think much of him -- he was too bright, too fragile, just a normal human boy sleeping soundly in the woods, unbothered by the dangers surrounding him, dreaming of spring when in reality he is surrounded by winter. _What an idiot_ , was the first thought that came in his head.

And suddenly his thoughts became someone else’s, his emotions became foreign and the next thing he knew was that he couldn’t take his eyes off that human boy, the tiny lit flame in the midst of cold and snow. He was drawn by the warmth, swallowed by the urge to protect. 

The image will forever be etched in his memory -- how Hinata’s face contorted when he was struggling to wake himself up from a nightmare, how he would clutch on his sheets, tossing and turning as if he was in pain, tears rolling down his cheeks as his eyes remained shut. Every night, he gets these images, thanks to their...connection. Every nightmare kept him awake, every sob echoed in his ear as if Hinata was just right next to him. Maybe he was selfish, maybe he was doing this for himself. And so tonight he gave in.

“K-Kageyama - ” Hinata says when his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, his voice hoarse as he struggled to catch his breath. 

“You’re shaking.” Kageyama whispered, brushing the back of his hand on Hinata’s tear stained cheeks. “Are you alright?”

Hinata nodded, even though Kageyama can tell that he isn’t, he can feel it through their...connection. He shouldn’t have asked such a stupid question. He spotted a glass of water sitting on top of Hinata’s bedside table, his stomach dropped -- Hinata had been expecting another nightmare. He moves to reach for it but Hinata’s breath hitch and clutches his shirt even tighter, pulling him back in place. 

“Don’t worry I’m not leaving.” He says and Hinata finally lets him go. He came back with the water, pulled Hinata up into a sitting position and held the glass on Hinata’s lips. “Drink.” He commands.

Hinata grabbed the glass himself, taking careful sips quietly. 

“You’re scared of the dark.” He says after a while. The truth is he didn’t need to ask, all he wanted to know is in Hinata’s head. He knows how much the shadows terrified Hinata and why it became the source of his midnight horrors. “I’m sorry. If I could erase them all for you I would.” He says.

“Don’t.” Hinata shook his head. “It’s not your fault.”

“If I reached you just in time before the Fury attacked, you wouldn’t have been traumatised and I should have been more careful this afternoon. I was careless, I’m sorry.”

“Kageyama, you can’t shield me all the time.” Hinata said. “I’m weak, but I’m not fragile.”

“I know. But you had such horrible nightmares.” He said after he swallowed. Hinata looked so fragile in front of him. The sight alone was enough to break the restraints he built up for himself and so the words started to spill before he could lid it off. “I’d wake up with your scent heavy on my nose and it would haunt me for the whole day. I’ve been wanting to wake you up ever since you had your first nightmare, but I didn’t want to scare you even more.”

There was a long silence. There was so much to say, so many words that laid dormant in his chest, but as Hinata just stared at him, his expression unreadable, he feared he may have said too much. 

“I’m not scared of you Kageyama. I don’t think I ever will.” Hinata says. “But yes I’m scared of everything else. I don’t know when I’ll be attacked next, I don’t know what I’m doing here, I don’t know _why_ I’m still here. I don’t know anything. And I think it’s the unknown that scares me the most.”

“Do you want to go back to your home?” He asked, careful enough to brace himself from the impact of what will be Hinata’s answer.

“Home? I don’t even know where home is anymore.” Hinata softly chuckled. “I have nothing to anchor me in once place, not even in the mortal world.”

For a while he did not know what to say. He’s never been good at comforting others, his words of encouragement would often come out as harsh or too straightforward. 

“You don’t have to say anything.” Hinata says, reading his thoughts. “But can you stay? Just until I fall asleep?”

“Okay. I’ll be here.” He says as Hinata tucked himself back into his sheets. 

“Don’t leave Kageyama.” Hinata sighs, eyes already closed and it didn’t take long for him to be fast asleep, snoring slightly, mouth slightly agape. 

And so he stayed there for a while, seated quietly at the foot of Hinata’s bed. All he can do for now is keep Hinata away at arm’s length and protect him from a safe distance. 

* * *

A long sigh escaped Hinata’s lips as he stretched, slowly waking up from a really, _really_ , good sleep. He blinked through the sunlight that hit his face, breathing in the morning breeze -- the smell of spring. 

Then suddenly he remembers the events that happened last night. He shot up into a sitting position but the High Lord was already gone. On his bedside table was a note, which is barely noticeable in Hinata’s opinion. He snatched it and glared at Kageyama’s fluid penmanship.

  
  


_Drool face,_

_Meet me at the training grounds after breakfast._

_Don’t be late and wear comfortable clothes._

_K._

“I don’t drool!” He shrieked at the same time wiping the side of his mouth. What’s he up to now? He wondered out loud. He quickly shoved the note in his dresser, debating whether or not he should go, the look on the High Lord’s face would be worth it. But he had nothing better to do and he would be lying if he says he’s not at least a tad bit curious.

The Kageyama who came into his bedroom in the middle of the night was a different version of Kageyama, one he never encountered before, one he hoped to encounter more of. There was so much light in his eyes, so much vulnerability. It made him look younger, far different from the stoic and mysterious High Lord he knew of.

Kageyama might be the key to some of his questions.

So he fixed himself up, wore the comfiest clothes he could find as instructed and headed down to the main hall. After a joyous breakfast with the pack, he headed towards the training grounds. 

He never made the effort to explore this part of the property. There was nothing to see; a wide open field, a gravel patch located in the middle where he once saw Noya and Tanaka spar, target poles situated at the far end, a bonfire pit and a decent sized shed. There are several claw marks on some of the gigantic pillars, violent and punctuated deep into the concrete.

Somehow he just knew -- or rather sensed, Kageyama’s presence behind him. He spun around too quickly, not out of fear but out of surprise.

Kageyama apologized before Hinata could say anything, though he had a look of amusement dancing on his usually platonic face. “You’re late.” He complains, and Hinata immediately forgot about the other Kageyama from last night.

“You didn’t bother to add a time, idiot.” Hinata says, eyes flickering towards the bow and quiver Kageyama is holding. It’s not wooden like the ones he’s used to, the bow is made of metal -- silver, decorated with intricate swirls and patterns of gold. On the quiver was carved a bird in mid-flight, it’s wings spread out far and wide, ready to take on the skies. 

“What am I doing here?” Hinata asked.

“Training.”

“Training.” Hinata repeated.

“Yes, training.” Kageyama says. “And someone else will be joining us.”

“That’ll be me!” Noya announces upon his arrival, grinning ear to ear, and bouncing on his feet in pure excitement. 

Hinata gapes at Kageyama. “You want me to join you guys?” He asked but it was Noya who answered. “Well, not exactly. You haven’t told him yet?” He asked Kageyama who just simply cleared his throat. 

“You want me to train.” Hinata says, reading Kageyama’s thoughts. “I’m guessing I’m using those?” He gestured towards the bow and arrows, already itching to get his hands on them. 

“You need to work on that aim starting from the basics.” Kageyama said as he handed Hinata the weapon who gladly took it. “Noya here will be your instructor starting today.” 

Hinata studied the bow. It feels light and cold against his skin. “But I already know how to shoot. I don’t need to learn the basics, I can just shoot like normal.”

Kageyama snatched it away from his grip, docks three arrows at the same time and released them all together in one swift motion. Each arrow found its own targets, right down the centre of each target pole, several meters from where they stood. 

**_Show off._ **

The High Lord grinned cockily. A challenge.

“Fine!” Hinata snatched it back, sending a final glare towards Kageyama before turning to Noya and saying, “Where should we start?”

Noya spoke as he shoots, one arrow after another, demonstrating basic tips and proper posture for archery. Hinata watched with determined eyes, ready to absorb every bit of information Noya provided even though he already knew some of it. He based everything on instinct alone for so long that he never realised there’s more to it than what he already knows. 

He watched in awe and admiration, how Noya comfortably wields the weapon as if it’s an extension of his own body. He wanted to be that good someday, or even better, the idea of being able to hit a target as effortless as that excited his whole being. 

“Now you try.” Noya says. “Don’t rush, go slow and steady.” He instructs as Hinata positions himself, bow drawn and ready to fire. He steadied his aim, eyes focused on the target before him, then he released. The bowstring vibrated and the arrow zoomed forward, flying straight and fast. It landed a few inches away from the middle target where Noya’s previous arrow hit. 

“Not bad Hinata.” Noya praised as he clapped his back. “Maybe you’re just getting used to the new equipment.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” Hinata says.

Noya paused, looking back and forth between Hinata and the arrow he shot. “Hmm...what’s on your mind before you release?”

Hinata frowned. “I try to think of nothing but the target.”

“That’s good but only if your target isn’t moving.” Noya says. “Try to adjust your arm based on how you see your target instead of where you think your arrow should be pointing. You have to let your bow compliment your body, you see. That way, you can control it better.”

“Usually, you aim using the tip of your arrow right?” Noya continued and Hinata nodded. “I want you to open both your eyes, use your whole peripheral view to draw a line. Before you release, focus on your target and make sure you can clearly see it instead of focusing on the tip of your arrow. Go try again.” He instructs and Hinata takes his position.

“Think of it this way, when you throw a stone, do you look at the stone or do you look at where you want to throw it?” Noya says. “Feel your arrow align with the target and when you’re ready, you can release.”

He took a deep breath and then he let go.

* * *

His shoulders started to hurt. It’s been hours since Noya left him to practice alone. He’s annoyed, frustrated, tired. It didn’t take him too long to adjust with the bow. After a few tries after Noya’s demonstration, he was able to hit the bullseye multiple times consecutively. He should be proud of his achievement, as what Noya said. And maybe he should. But hitting a few targets from a straight light isn’t something that’s close to being called impressive.

So he challenged himself, and asked Noya to show him how to shoot with several arrows nocked. They decided to start with two arrows. It looked pretty easy when Noya did it himself, straightforward enough that he thought he could execute immediately. 

It’s been hours, and he knows he’s on his limit. There wasn’t at least one clean hit, all his shots went straight through the ground. 

“You should give it a rest. It’s impossible to master a skill in just a couple of hours.” 

Hinata slowly turned around, and there, leaning casually on one of the pillars was Kageyama. Dressed mostly in leather and in all black.

“Did you just come to make fun of me?”

“Maybe.” Kageyama answered as he walked towards where Hinata stood. “Were you trying to redecorate my training field?” 

Hinata sighed. “What is it you want now?”

“Nothing. I’m just here to see you before I leave.” He casually informs Hinata who just stared at him with a questioning look. So he says, “The King wants to see me.”

“And you’re telling me this because?”

“Because you wanted to know.” Kageyama answered. “Have you forgotten about our mind-sharing already?”

“How could I possibly forget that.” Hinata says, then he turned around getting ready for another try. He takes a deep breath, like he usually does before he shoots. And just before he could release, he felt Kageyama’s arm reaching from behind, making him jump at the sudden intrusion. 

“You’re worse than I thought. Here, you do it like this.” He says, his lips too close on Hinata’s ear. Kageyama grabbed his left hand, positioned it properly, adjusted his fingers and pushed his right shoulder a bit lower using his other hand, before telling him to let go.

“Congratulations.” He says, stepping back. “Try to remember how that felt, and practice again tomorrow. Oh, and one more thing -- “ 

Hinata stared at him, throat suddenly dry and palms slightly sweaty. 

“If the nightmares come, you are more than welcome to stay in my room. But try not to drench my pillow with your drool if you can help it.” 

And then he vanished.

Leaving a flustered and speechless Hinata standing alone in the middle of a training field littered with fallen arrows. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realised how Kageyama is a bit OC in this chapter. Hope you don't mind. Hehe Also, if anyone thinks I'm rushing the kagehina ship in this one, then please let me know. 
> 
> Slow updates up ahead because school works are starting to pile up. Am I the only one who totally lost motivation with studies due to the current pandemic? It's really hard to do online classes. People that have no problems with it are legit champs. 
> 
> Well, that's all I can say for now. Comment your thoughts pleaseeeee and I'm thanking you in advance for reading!!! Ya'll amazing as usual. xx


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!!! I knooooooowwwww~ I've been away for quite a while. Please forgive me hehe. It's exam season and there were assignments from left to right. I tried to write during my free time, but my mind have been somewhere else. I managed to write a few drafts but none of them were good enough tbh. So I ended up writing a few thousand words only to end up deleting them again. lol 
> 
> So what I have here is a cute little chapter filled with randomness for you. It's not as long as the other chapters I think.
> 
> Still, I hope you enjoy it! Leave a comment after to let me know you're still with me. xx

Hinata stared at the door, contemplating whether he should even touch the perfectly carved door knob which leads to Kageyama’s room. For days his nightmares became worse and the more he tried to convince himself that they’re not real and they’re just in his head, the more it became harder to believe. The dark felt like it could engulf him whole, but only after it takes the form of his demons. Before it had been the fury, but now there was that bogey he had to worry about. 

‘ _If the nightmares come, you are more than welcome to stay in my room.’_ Kageyama might have said it as a joke, but it kept on popping in his mind every opportunity there is. He didn’t want to admit it to himself, and he had tried to dodge the thought ever since Kageyama left a few days ago. The thought of Kageyama alone can ward off any unwanted night terrors.

It had started ever since that day in the forest. When Kageyama held him close, he managed to get a good whiff of his scent. Of course that wasn’t the first time he had smelled it, but that was the very first time he came as close. Kageyama smelled good, of course he did. He’s an alpha and it’s natural by default that omega’s will find their smells appealing. And maybe because he got caught in the moment. At that time, Kageyama was the only safe place he could find and the omega in him might have registered that submissive inclination. 

So that’s what brought him here, standing in front of Kageyama’s room. Fidgeting and trying to find ways to invalidate his urges. He wanted - no, need to be around Kageyama’s scent again. It had been three days. He can feel himself getting exhausted due to the lack of sleep he had been getting. Considering he always had to get up quite early, now that he had to attend to his and Noya’s daily archery lessons. Despite being quite a good teacher, Noya can be quite the sadist when it comes to their drills. He never thought archery could feel taxing. Not that he was complaining considering his skills have improved quite a lot since they started their lessons.

Hinata took a deep breath. One night, he told himself. Just one night of good night’s sleep should be enough to last him a couple more nights of twisting and turning in his sweat-soaked sheets. So he gulped, forced his hand to clamp on the cold metal, and twisted it as his heart hammered in his chest like he was running a marathon. 

The room was pitch black, but the windows were wide enough to let enough moonlight in. He poked his head inside, scanning the room for any movement although he already knew there won’t be. Kageyama had been gone for days, and he made sure he won’t be coming back soon by asking Suga earlier on. Though the grey-haired wolf was quite suspicious when he asked, he eventually told Hinata that Kageyama might not be back until the end of the week. 

He held his breath for no apparent reason at all, willing his heart to shut up and calm down. No one will know about it, though Kageyama might realise it after he comes back through the scent he will most likely leave behind. He wondered if he could wash the sheets the next day, he might need to ask Suga again tomorrow. 

He tiptoed inside, clutching the extra pillow he decided to bring along with him. He figured he should at least use his own pillow, after Kageyama made that comment of him drooling while he was asleep. 

Once he was inside, the scent of something musky and lavender wafted through his nostrils. He involuntarily closed his eyes as he took a big inhale of the air, filling his lungs as much as he could, hoping that days from now, the scent would still linger on his nostrils. Kageyama’s room was almost as big as his, if not a little bigger. He didn’t bother to turn on the lights, but he could still make out the tiny details of the high lord’s den.

Books are scattered and piled everywhere. It was nothing special, apart from the massive bed situated right at the middle of the room. There was a closet pushed at the other corner of the room, a decent sized mirror and a desk where more paper and books were scattered. That must be where Kageyama spends most of his nights, writing transcripts and other stuff high lords need to deal with. 

He stared at the quite inviting bed before throwing himself on top of it. He hummed when his back hit the impossibly soft mattress as it lightly bounced under his weight. He rolled on his stomach and pressed his nose to the fabric, letting himself blush at his antics. He shouldn’t be doing this at all. He didn’t want to invade Kageyama’s privacy and being in someone’s bedroom seems too intimate for their level of...relationship. Not that there’s any.

“Oh my god, what am I doing?” He whispered to himself as he greedily sniffed and clutched at the blanket. Kageyama is still pretty much a stranger. Their small interactions ever since he arrived are still not enough to even establish a simple friendship. Not to mention that Kageyama _is_ the high lord of the court he was in. In simple terms, he should be right at the bottom of the hierarchy. 

He didn’t know what made him think doing this should be fine and where did he even get the confidence from? He sure as hell doesn’t know. It was an urge, a hard one to control at that. It was like he had been subconsciously looking for Kageyama’s presence for no specific reason at all. What would Kageyama say after he comes back and discovers Hinata had been in his room. Hopefully he won’t get mad or be a tease about it. 

Embarrassingly enough, he had been too eager to get underneath the thick covers. They’re too comfortable, too warm, and it made him wish that this won’t be the last time he gets to sleep in this bed. It would be too embarrassing to request the same material for his bed considering the wolves have already given him too much. 

He wiggled his bed as he tried to find the comfiest spot, which didn’t take too long. No matter what position he tries, it’s still as equally comfy. It wasn’t long until he could feel his eyes drooping. Kageyama’s scent was lingering in his nostrils, the warmth surrounding him like a cocoon. It felt like heaven. He fell asleep not long after.

* * *

Surprisingly, the king allowed Kageyama to return early. That doesn’t really happen quite often. Usually the meetings would last for a full week, but they managed to wrap it up with a few more days to spare. He considered staying in the palace for a little bit longer, heeding his father’s request. But he couldn’t let himself stay far too long away from his court. His pack is the best there is, they’re more than capable of taking the reins while he was away as always. But he couldn’t be too complacent. Not now that everything else seems to start turning into chaos.

Before he could take his leave, Kuroo intercepted him. His fellow high lord playfully threw his arm around his shoulders and pulled him down so his body is half bent. “Leaving so soon Tobio? My, that’s quite rude. You didn’t even say bye to us.”

Kageyama grunted as Kuroo nuzzled his head using his knuckles.

“I’d say. Why are you in a hurry?” Bokuto joined Kuroo in tormenting him but he managed to pull himself away. 

“What do you mean? We’re done here. I’m going back to my court.” He replied simply, hoping the two older faces would finally let him be. Though he doubted it.

Bokuro cackled and slapped him on the shoulder a few times before saying, “I get it. I can’t wait to return by Akashi’s side too.”

“Lucky for me, I managed to drag Kenma along.” Kuroo shrugged, a smug look on his face. 

Kageyama just looked at them in apparent confusion. If anything he was already used to their antics and through years of experience, he knew that the best way to handle the two is to pay them no mind. No wonder Kenma had gone off somewhere already. “I don’t know what you two are on about. I’m leaving.” he said as he turned away only to be stopped again before he could even make it out the door.

He sighed, “What is it?”

“A week from now, we’ll be having a fire night. You need to come and bring the others with you.” Kuroo said as a form of invitation then his face lit up, followed by a knowing look that Bokuto seemed to understand. “You can even bring your human.”

“Hell no.” If anything, that should be a recipe for a disaster. There is no way he would let Hinata be in such a place. “I appreciate the invitation, but I’m afraid I might have to skip this one.” He said as he tried to push through.

“You always skip!” Bokuto complained. “Every year you always seem to find the perfect excuse not to go.”

His patience was already wearing thin. He just wanted to get back to his court as soon as possible. “I’ll think about it.” He grumbled though they all knew he'd say no at the end anyway. In his opinion, this is not the perfect time to have such gatherings. Especially ones such as a fire night. 

Before either Bokuto or Kuroo could say anything else, he winnowed himself back to the manor.

* * *

Suga giggled to himself as he looked at the distressed Hinata standing in front of Kageyama’s bedroom door. The human wore nothing but an oversized shirt which reached mid-thigh. He hugged a pillow to his chest as he just stood there frozen, staring at the doorknob intensely. 

He turned up later than usual that night. He couldn’t neglect the heaping amount of paperwork stacked on his desk. Ones that Kageyama left behind as he attended to the king’s summons. He just made it up the stairs when he spotted Hinata. At first he thought the boy had been sleep walking, but Hinata looked fully awake. He was about to call for him when Hinata released a big sigh before finally gripping the handle. He wanted to know what Hinata would do next.

He could tell the boy was nervous for some reason. He could hear his heart beat all the way across the hallway. Then Hinata finally opened the door, leaving it to open just enough so he could poke his head inside. He heard Hinata inhale deeply, followed by a soft sigh of approval and he smiled knowingly to himself. 

A few days ago, he came across Kageyama leaving Hinata’s bedroom at dawn, looking rather disheveled as if he hadn’t gotten a blink of sleep at all. Kageyama informed him Hinata had another nightmare that night and that he had been quite shaken after their encounter with the bogey the day before. He had to admit, he never would have anticipated the development of their relationship to develop this fast. It also surprised him how Kageyama let himself do the opposite of what he said a few days before.

Kageyama came to him one day asking if they could talk about something. It was to his surprise when Kageyama told him about his and Hinata’s mind sharing capability. He had to put down whatever he was holding that time so he could give his full attention to the high lord.

Ever since the very first day he set eyes on Hinata, he knew there had to be something between him and Kageyama. He just knew it as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world. He knows his perception never failed him before, and his gut told him that day that Hinata is more than just some mere human they managed to come across that one fateful day. 

He needs to know more before he can solidify his assumptions. Things just don’t make sense even though it seems as if it should be pretty simple. It would have made more sense if Hinata and Kageyama were bonded mates, that alone could already explain why their scents blended so well with each other - or rather, quite similar to each other to the point where it became hard to tell the difference.

  
  


As far as he knows, mind sharing can only exist between bonded couples. The moment the bond was made, the two individuals would have become one through their bond. Their aura, mind, soul and body will become in sync with each other. So it doesn’t make sense, how Kageyama and Hinata seem to be showing signs of a bonded pair, even though there was nothing that existed between them. 

He could tell that Kageyama had been quite reluctant to approach Hinata. He had his suspicions that the high lord had already noticed something, though he can guarantee Kageyama was still about to scratch the surface.

He jumped to his feet when he heard someone clear their throat from behind. When he turned to look and see who it was, he was surprised to see face to face with Kageyama. 

“Oh, shit.” He cursed and Kageyama just blinked at him innocently. He clamped a hand on his chest as he sighed and said, “Kageyama. Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“What are you doing?” 

“Nothing.” He said. “You’re back early. I thought you said you’d be back in a week or so.”

Kageyama shrugged as he walked past him, walking towards the direction of his room. “I thought so too. Thank god it finished early though.” He said over his shoulder.

It took a second for Suga to realise two things: First is Kageyama is back and is already about to enter his room and second, Hinata is in there. 

He was about to open his mouth to warn Kageyama about the pleasant intruder but the door was already closed and Kageyama had already gone in.

He waited for a few more minutes, expecting a scream or something which involves kicking a specific red-hair out of the room. But nothing happened, not a sound was heard. 

His smile was hard to wipe off even as he entered his own chambers. 

“Interesting.” He muttered into the darkness as he let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Kageyama stared down at the small lump hidden beneath his blanket. A few strands of messy orange hair poking out the corners. Hinata slept peacefully, curled to his side and totally unaware of his return. He didn’t know why he was quite pleased with the sight. 

He slowly made his way around the other side of the bed where Hinata faced.

“Idiot. What are you doing on my bed?” He whispered to a sleeping Hinata. It was hard to contain the smile that was threatening to form on his lips. He couldn’t help himself as he brushed the stray strands of hair covering Hinata’s forehead. He pulled his hand away when Hinata’s even breathing faltered a beat, sucking in a long breath before shifting his position towards the other way.

Why Hinata decided to slumber in his bed, he had no idea. He thought about waking Hinata up, or even carrying him back into his room. But he didn’t want to disturb him as well. He didn’t want to think that Hinata had been having trouble sleeping again, though he knows that it could be only the reason why Hinata found himself in his room.

So instead, he carefully laid himself down beside the sleeping form. Careful not to cause too much movement that could wake Hinata up. It might not be too appealing for the human to wake up and realise he’s basically sharing the same bed as him. But he’s too tired to come up with other alternatives. He can’t even seem to find enough energy to change his clothes. 

Luckily his bed is big enough to hold two people. There’s more than enough space for both of them, especially since Hinata chose not to sleep right at the middle of the bed. 

Kageyama reached for the spare pillow that Hinata must have kicked off the bed earlier, placing it in between them just in case they’d move around in their sleep later on. 

He can only imagine what Hinata’s reaction would be when he wakes up the next day.

Hinata cursed his body clock. No matter what he tries to do, it’s just quite impossible for him to sleep in. He had always been an early bird and now that he had more reason as to why he should wake up early, it seemed to have become worse. 

He moved around while keeping his eyes closed, eager to find a new comfortable spot. Maybe if he keeps his eyes closed for longer, he might manage to sneak in a few more minutes of sleep.

He must have moved around in his sleep, for the blanket had slipped off his upper torso, keeping his back exposed to the chilly morning air. He let his hands roam in search of the blanket. When his fingers came into contact with the soft material, he yanked it with all the strength he could muster at his half asleep state. 

He hummed in approval as the alluring scent made its way towards his nostrils, nuzzling it even further as he let himself get drunk on the smell.

Kageyama on the other hand was having a ridiculously hard time trying to pry Hinata’s tight grip on his shirt, afraid that if he pulled hard enough he would rip the fabric. It’s not like it’s his favourite shirt or anything, or it’s not like he minds if it does actually rip. But through his groggy mind, he knew he had to pull away, just because.

Hinata’s head was on his chest, his hands had a vice grip on his clothing as if it was his lifeline. Kageyama didn’t miss the part where the human sniffed him rather desperately, invading his personal space like a half awake toddler. 

If it would have been somebody else, he would have thrown them off the bed already or kicked them off until they fall on the ground. But no, that doesn't seem to be the case with Hinata at all. He finds himself relaxing at Hinata’s warmth, his sleeping face is definitely a sight he has not seen in ages. How can he look so peaceful when he probably had the biggest scare of his life last night due to his constant nightmares?

He finds himself lying still as his mind races for a way to escape. He blushed at their positions, and despite his efforts not to lay a hand on Hinata, even though he can barely control himself, he totally doesn’t mind it at all. In fact, he finds himself considering not waking Hinata up for a while. He wanted to stare at his sleeping face, one that reminded Kageyama of a chipmunk or a squirrel with his cheeks puffed up like that as he mumbles something incoherent in his sleep. 

But Kageyama has a lot of things to do for the day and he’s not about to ‘sleep-in’ just because he wanted to cuddle longer with Hinata. It would be really embarrassing if one of the wolves knows about this. 

As slowly as he could, he tried to unclasp Hinata’s fingers off his shirt. His first and second attempts were a failure because the moment he succeeds in loosening one of Hinata’s fingers, the human seems to hold on a bit more tighter. 

It was no secret that Kageyama is indeed a quite impatient man. With everything and anything. And that includes adorable humans who find themselves cuddled in his bed at night. No matter how much he didn’t want to disturb Hinata, he couldn’t think of any other choice. He needs a shower and a change of clothes. His gaze drifted to the files stacked on his desk and groaned internally. He had a lot of work to do and Hinata needed to get off him.

As forcefully as he could, he yanked his body away from Hinata. He heard his shirt rip and the sudden movement startled Hinata in his sleep, causing him to pull away from the interruption himself and away from Kageyama. 

Kageyama sighed a breath of relief as he knelt at his side of the bed. He grabbed for the blanket and pulled it over Hinata before finally getting off the bed. 

* * *

Hinata woke up a few minutes later feeling like he had the best sleep of his life. He stretched his muscles and yawned happily. It took him a few seconds to realise that he wasn’t in his room. He visibly relaxed after he remembered the events from last night but his panic started to set in as the realisation fully hit him. He sat up at an instant and felt his head spin in spirals. Clutching his head, he scanned the room, making sure Kageyama had not returned and caught him sleeping on his bed. 

He couldn’t particularly use his scent as it’s all over the room. But it looked too peaceful enough to convince him he hasn’t been caught yet. 

He fought off the urge to stay a bit longer. He needs to meet up with Noya and maybe grab a small breakfast before he heads to the training grounds.

He exited the way he entered from last night, tiptoeing across the hallway and making the slightest noise as much as possible. He didn’t leave before fixing the bed though. He made a mental note to ask Suga if it was possible for him to do some laundry later. Knowing him, he might get too suspicious and ask a few interrogative questions. He decided that maybe, he’ll ask Yamaguchi instead.

His arrow ricocheted towards the target. Hinata didn’t wait to see if it hit in the middle. He already knew it would. 

In an instant, he had another arrow nocked in place, ready to take aim for the next target. Noya stood at a safe distance, taking mental notes on Hinata’s improvements. Hinata knelt to the ground and aimed at a tilted angle, mimicking how Noya did it the other day. He released but this time he waited to see if it hit where he wanted it to. Noya clapped his hands together and yelled, “Don’t stop moving Hinata! It’ll mess up your flow!”

Today they were practicing with moving targets. Noya had them improvised the other day with the help of Tanaka. The targets were tied up in makeshift poles in different heights and angles, swinging in place. 

Another hit and Hinata ran to the other side. There’s only one left in the course. He took his time for this one, breathing in through his nose and out to his mouth. It’s the farthest shot he had to make and by far the hardest. The target was almost thirty metres away from where he stood. He could probably hit it without a problem if only it wasn’t swinging in place. He had to get the right rhythm, the timing needs to be on point.

And in a few seconds he released, his eyes stayed with the arrow as it travelled towards the air and into its destination. It was a bit off course but not as bad. He managed to hit the target at least, but a slight disappointment still managed to creep up. 

He jogged towards Noya, eager to hear some feedback. His instructor was grinning wide, both his hands are on his waist as he waited for Hinata to get to his side. 

“Great job Shoyo! Thirteen out of twenty!” Noya patted him on the back rather heavily. “Though you did hesitate in some of them. I’d say it’s not bad for your first try! What do you think?”

“I want to do it again.” Hinata said as a reply. 

“Are you sure? We’ve been at it for hours and it’s almost noon.” 

Hinata nodded, ignoring the fact that he is already tired. His arms feel heavy and so are his legs. But he was just getting hyped up. He’s sure he could still do a few more. 

“Alright.” Noya gave in. “I have to be ready for my rounds so I can’t stay. Don’t push yourself too hard okay? You’ll regret it tomorrow.” 

Hinata took his position at the start of the course as Noya jogged towards the manor. With a few puffs of breath, he started. 

* * *

Hinata dragged himself back inside. He was determined to do more practice but he could only finish half of the course. Noya was right, his arms feel like they’re about to fall off. 

He spotted Suga making some tea as he made his way into the kitchen. A smell of freshly baked pastries lingered in the air. His stomach growled as a response.

“Hey Suga.” He greeted, as he slumped himself into one of the chairs. 

Suga turned around and smiled at him. “Noya worked you up too much?”

He shook his head. “I did some extra practice after he left.”

“Would you like some tea?” Suga offered and Hinata just nodded. Though food is what seems to be what he needed.

“You look tired.” Suga said as he placed Hinata’s cup in front of him. The fae pulled a chair across from Hinata as he tended towards his own drink. “Got any sleep last night?” He asked while eyeing Hinata over the rim of his cup.

“Y-Yeah.” Hinata replied as he reached for his drink. Eager to hide his flushed face that had nothing to do with his extensive training. 

Suga hummed as he took a sip. “How are you holding up with the nightmares? Yamaguchi mentioned you have been having trouble sleeping lately.”

Hinata really didn’t know how to answer that. If anything he’s not managing it well at all. He blushed as he remembered where he slept in last night.

He shrugged as he avoided eye contact. “Last night was fine.”

“Oh? That’s good.” Suga replied, though Hinata could pick up some slight amusement somewhere in his tone. “What did you do to make them go away?”

“I, um…” Hinata stammered as he racked his brain for any type of answer. He knows he can’t lie. He’s pretty sure Suga would be able to pick it up right away but there is no way he would admit the truth. “I asked for some of that herbs you told me the other day.”

It was a good lie. Suga looks like he believed him. Or so he thought. “Oh, those? That’s great! Should I get some more for you then?”

“Y-Yes. Sure. Please.” He sipped his tea with shaking hands.

Suga laughed. “Alright. Just come to me if you need some more.”

Hinata could only nod in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it good? Was it meh? Was it bad? Please let me know *puppy dog eyes*. I loooooooove reading your comments and feedbacks. It makes my heart go *doki doki*
> 
> As usual, thank you for reading and THANK YOU FOR ALL THE KUDOS WHILE I WAS AWAY. 
> 
> Hopefully I can manage to whip up another chapter and update as soon as I can. But as I said before, I'm still a bit busy with schoolworks and exams so no promises!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's lots of Yamaguchi in this chapter. Enjoy ~

Hinata is on a mission. He marched through the hallway leading towards the infirmary in hopes to find Yamaguchi. A few days ago, he discovered that Yamaguchi is actually training as an herbalist under Suga’s wing. He was wandering around the manor that one afternoon when he ran into a hurried Yamaguchi who had his arms occupied by a mountain of books. After offering his apologies and helping the fae to pick up everything, both of them made their way towards the workshop. Suga was nice enough to let him stay and watch as they mixed and boiled funny coloured liquids. It was interesting at first, but as much as he wanted to, he just couldn’t keep up with all the complicated terminologies the two were trying to tell him about. To him, they all sounded gibberish despite their efforts of making it sound as simple and interesting as they could. He ran away when Yamaguchi added the wrong type of ingredient, causing a disastrous explosion of loud popping noise and a burst of pungent smell. He was convinced he would have suffocated if he stayed in there longer, as thick clouds of white smoke filled the whole room. 

There was no sign of Yamaguchi anywhere in the infirmary, which could only mean that he must be cooped up in the workshop again. He never would have thought that in a few days time, after that near-death experience, he would find himself wandering into that room again. 

Yamaguchi was humming a happy tune while his back was turned away from the door, grinding the last batch of knitbone. He turns around after hearing the soft click, indicating Hinata’s arrival.

“Hinata, what brings you here? I thought I successfully scared you away the other day.” He said with a soft laugh as he continued his work. 

“Am I disturbing you?” Hinata asked as he stayed as close as he could to the door. Yamaguchi looks like he’s not brewing anything today so it looks safe, but one can never be too careful.

“Oh no. Do you need anything?” 

Hinata hesitated for a few moments, unsure how to even start. He was determined to find Yamaguchi a few minutes ago, but now that he has, he regretted not thinking more about what he was about to ask. He just decided to go for it.

“I was wondering.” He started. “Please don’t tell anyone.” 

Yamaguchi stopped what he was doing and turned around so he could face the anxious Hinata. He studied the human before grabbing the clean cloth to clean the dirt in his hands. “Of course. What is it?”

Hinata peeked a look at him before talking. He told himself it’s either he talked to Yamaguchi or Suga. For some reason, Yamaguchi seems like the safest option out of the two. 

“Oh, you see…” He said, looking anywhere other than Yamaguchi. “Do you know how to get rid of scent traces?” 

Yamaguchi blinked at him in confusion. “Get rid of what now?”

“Scents.” 

“From what? Sorry, I’m not following. Why do you need to get rid of...scents?” He asked, but it looks like Hinata was having trouble in expressing what he wanted to ask. So he said, “It’s okay Hinata. Whatever it is, I promise I won’t laugh or tell anyone.”

Hinata swallowed before he answered. “I slept on Kageyama’s bed.” 

“You slept on Kageyama’s bed.” Yamaguchi monotonously repeated and Hinata only nodded, looking away and blushing furiously.

A small smile threatened to break on Yamaguchi’s face and Hinata was quick to notice. 

“Hey, you said you wouldn’t laugh.” He pouted.

“Sorry, sorry.” Yamaguchi giggled. “So you were talking about getting rid of  _ your _ scent on his sheets, is that right?”

“Yeah.” Hinata meekly replied. He feels slightly relieved after he managed to say it out loud. “Can you help me? Do you think washing it would help?”

“I’m guessing, you’re doing this because you don’t want him to find out?” Yamaguchi asked and Hinata replied with a soft ‘Yes’.

“Well, I guess you can try to wash it.” Yamaguchi said. “But don’t you think it’s too late for that?”

“It’s still early.” Hinata shrugged. “If I do it now, it should dry by afternoon. Do you know where I can do it?”

“Hinata, I meant it’s too late.” Yamaguchi said. “Kageyama returned last night and I’m sure by now he would have already found out.”

Yamaguchi was impressed by how fast the colours on Hinata’s face drained. The poor boy just stood there shocked as he processed the words. Yamaguchi was starting to worry he'd faint when he finally spoke.

“He’s what?!” Or screamed, rather.

“Oh, you didn’t know that didn’t you.” Yamaguchi nervously giggled. “Did you not see him this morning?” He asked and realised how stupid that sounded since it was obvious that Hinata didn’t. He mentally facepalmed himself.

“Oh no.” Hinata started to panic and started to pace back and forth. “What am I gonna do? Do you think he’ll get mad? He’s going to kill me.”

Yamaguchi was about to open his mouth to say something but Hinata beat him to it. It looks like he realised something that’s very important, judging by the way his eyes widened in horror. 

Hinata stopped pacing and properly faced Yamaguchi. “Where did he sleep last night then?” 

Yamaguchi shrugged. “I didn’t see him arrive last night.”

“Ohno ohno ohno.” Hinata started chanting, both his hands are up on his face. He started to squeeze his own cheeks, his mouth puckered out like a fish. Yamaguchi can’t help but find his friend’s reaction amusing.

“Yamaguchi, I want you to kill me right now and bury me ten metres off the ground.” 

“You’re overreacting.” Yamaguchi calmed him down though Hinata might not be able to take him seriously since he can’t even keep a straight face. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure if he’s mad about it, he would’ve found you already.”

“That’s not it!” Hinata whined. “Oh, this is so embarrassing.”

“I guess I don’t need to show you where to wash the sheets then?” Yamaguchi asked as he turned around to continue the rest of his work.

Hinata groaned and fell silent. Yamaguchi looked over his shoulder to see Hinata leaning silently on the countertop, sporting the most troubled face he ever saw him put on. 

“I’m leaving somewhere after I finish this. Do you want to come with me?” He offered. He figured Hinata should be quite determined to avoid Kageyama for the rest of the day and Suga did mention he might not be able to go with him since he’s needed somewhere else. It would be nice to have an extra pair of hands to assist him. 

Hinata jumped and seemed to be eager to come along. His eyes sparkled like he just announced they were going on a field trip, which they kind of are. He was again amazed by how fast Hinata’s mood can change within a minute. 

“I’ll be done soon. Do you need to change or are you fine with what you’re wearing? I suggest bringing a coat since we’ll be travelling by horse.”

* * *

“Where are we going?” Hinata, now oozing with excitement asked. 

“You’ll see.” Yamaguchi answered with a smile. He can’t wait to show Hinata the place. “Go ahead and get ready. I’ll wait for you by the stables.”

“We’re going to a camp?” 

Yamaguchi nodded. “Suga usually accompanies me but he was not able to make it today. We do this at least once a week. Remember what I was making before we left?”

“You mean the leaves you were grinding when I came in?” Hinata asked.

“I was preparing medicine for the people who live there. That particular herb was called knitbone. It’s essence helps with minor cuts and bruises. Sorry, I should stop before I talk too much. I can’t get you bored and falling asleep on me. You’d fall off your horse!”

“Oh no, I’m not bored just yet.” Hinata answered jokingly. “Do you do this a lot?”

“It’s the only way we could think of. Those people need all the help they could get.” Yamaguchi answered as he looked ahead of the road. 

“Are they part of the court?” Hinata asked. 

Yamaguchi thought about it for a while and said, “The campers don’t belong to any of the courts, though they’re not an enemy either. Those people come from generations and generations of war survivors and nomads. They’re not claimed by any of the courts, but they’re still under our protection.

“A long time ago, even before the great war started, there were already a distinct group of people originating from different tribes travelling on foot. They were a mix of witches, faes, pixies, you name it. Their sole purpose was to sell their merchandise all throughout the land. They distribute potions, weaponry, clothing, medicine, basically anything. Each tribe specialised in something. They carry their tents and stop in every town. Hence, why we now call them ‘campers’.”

“You said some of them were war survivors.” Hinata said, eager to hear about it more.

“The land suffered in different ways during the war. Food and safety were luxuries not everyone could afford. The rebel army expanded in size and they like to steal from those who were already in poverty. Those who managed to get away from their ruthless ways managed to find refuge behind the mountain.

“During the war, everyone had to fight for survival. Every piece of land was a battlefield. Each and everyone had to fight for their lives including women and children. Weapons were forced too early on children at such a young age. People struggled to get their hands on food and water. Medicine was very scarce as well.”

“That sounds horrible.” Hinata said.

“It really was. I was too young to remember anything in detail, but I can remember enough to hope the same thing won’t happen to those people again.” Yamaguchi replied. “That’s why I personally asked Kageyama to let me handle this. Every court needs to provide something you see. We mainly focus on providing medicine since the best medicinal plants and herbs can only be found in the spring court.”

“What do the other courts do?” 

“The court of shadows formed an organisation of tutors who are devoted in teaching those children in camp. Sometimes, they scout some excellent kids and offer them jobs on the court, such as being part of the military. 

“The autumn court, known as the court of embers, is best at cultivating livestock animals. As you can imagine, they are the main providers of food and even building materials. 

“We work alongside the court of frost. They have the best medical practitioners there and since we supply the medicine, we often end up working together. One of these days, we might get a few visitors from the court of frost. We usually work together in developing medicines. Though Kageyama doesn’t like it too much when Bokuto decides to come along.”

“Isn’t he one of the high lords? Do they not get along?” Hinata asked. He remembered hearing that name before, though he didn’t have a face to go along with the name yet.

“Kageyama can barely tolerate Bokuto and vice versa. But Bokuto seems to be too oblivious sometimes to notice. You will understand once you get to meet him. He’s not a bad guy but him and Kageyama are polar opposites of each other but they do get along most of the time.” 

Hinata figured they had arrived at their destination. Just up ahead, people have already started gathering. There were several children already running and making their way towards their direction.

Yamaguchi laughed when he spotted them. “I will never get used to this. It feels like coming home after a long journey.”

They slowed down and Yamaguchi greeted them one by one before allowing them to hop back in the cart their horses were pulling. “Careful and hold on tight okay?” Yamaguchi yelled after them as they claimed their seats on the cart. “We don’t want anyone falling off.”

The children just giggled as a response. 

* * *

“It looks like you’ve got an admirer.” Yamaguchi nudged Hinata as he pointedly gestured towards the young fae who was hiding, and failing miserably, behind one of the tents. “Go ahead and say hi.” 

“Hey there.” Hinata greeted cheerfully as he made his way towards the boy. He chuckled when the shy boy completely disappeared behind the tent, only to poke his head back out again. “What’s your name? I’m Hinata.” 

The young boy blinked at him before eying Hinata’s extended hand. His voice was small but Hinata still managed to hear as he introduced himself as “Haru.”

“This is a handshake.” He explained as the boy continued to stare at Hinata’s hand. “You shake it the first time you meet somebody. Here, try it with me.”

“My hands are dirty.” Haru explained. “I’ll make your hands dirty too.”

Hinata kindly smiled up at him. “It’s okay Haru. You do this when you want to make friends with someone.”

“You want to be my friend?” Haru asked timidly. 

“Of course!” Hinata exclaimed, causing Haru to blush and Hinata to giggle at the adorable sight. 

Meanwhile, Yamaguchi observed how Hinata tries to interact with young Haru. He smiled to himself seeing how good Hinata is with children. Based on his personality, making new friends and meeting new people might come out quite naturally. He wondered if he could convince Suga to let Hinata come along for their next visit. 

Haru finally found the courage to step away from his hiding place and grab Hinata’s extended hand. His smaller fingers wrapped around Hinata’s own as they shook their hands together. 

“You look different.” The young boy innocently voiced out his own observation as he took in Hinata’s human appearance. “Your ears are different from mine.”

Hinata laughed as he ruffled Haru’s dark hair. Somehow, it made him think of Kageyama. Haru has big brown eyes and slightly tanned skin. He’s missing one tooth at the front and a constellation of soft freckles lined his plump cheeks. 

“That’s because I’m a human. Do you know what a human is?” Hinata asked and Haru shook his head no.

“Well, I come from a different place. Somewhere that’s very far away from here.”

A glint of interest flashed in Haru’s eyes. “Do you like it there?” He asked. 

What a weird thing to ask, Hinata thought. But then he decided that maybe Haru was really asking for what it’s like out there. 

Hinata hummed as he thought of how to answer that question. “Yes, I guess I do. But it’s nicer here.”

“I want to see your home someday.” Haru confessed.

“Maybe someday you will.” Hinata answered, though he hoped for the opposite. For he knows the mortal world may not be able to accept their kind as easily.

The stories they were told did not do them any justice. Fae’s were depicted as something that’s dangerous and cruel to the mortal kind. Little do they know all the truths behind the assumptions and the fantasies. There are so many good things in this place that the mortals couldn’t even start to imagine. 

A group of other kids ran towards them, inviting Haru to play a game of tag around the site. Haru looked back at Hinata and said, “You should come back again next time.”

Hinata smiled at him as he grabbed both his little hands into his own, “I’ll make sure I do. I’ll see you next time Haru.”

Haru replied with a curt nod before running away. Hinata can only stare at his back as he retreats to join his friends. 

He was glad he was lucky enough to witness this place. There was something about their simplicity that made him feel at peace. Everybody seems to be working in harmony. Neighbours talk and laugh together, something he scarcely witnessed in his village back in the mortal world. Children are able to play around without getting scolded by their parents. Their laughter is free and genuine. They live like they had nothing to fear. Even though he held no power whatsoever, it still made him want to protect this place with everything he has.

“Can I come back again next time?” He asked Yamaguchi as they started to pack up.

“Sure.” Yamaguchi answered. “We can’t break the promise you just made to Haru now can’t we?”

* * *

“How did you all meet each other? If it’s okay to ask.” 

“Hmm, let’s see. Tsukki, Suga and Kageyama had known each other since they were kids. I just happen to come along a bit later.” Yamaguchi answered. It was late in the afternoon and the temperature already started to drop. It took them longer than what was expected. The kids seem to like Hinata quite a lot and it took a bit of time for every one of them to bid their goodbyes.

“I always thought you’ve known each other since when you were younger.” Hinata said. He always noticed how strong the bond between the pack is. It might have something to do with their nature as wolves, but no matter what, it’s always something he admired about them.

“We technically do.” Yamaguchi answered. “Tsukki’s father was the general of the king’s army. That’s how he met Kageyama and Suga since they all grew up together in the palace. Suga’s father was the head alchemist. Before he passed away, he managed to instill most of his knowledge and skill to Suga. He’s one of the best there is. That’s why I asked him to let me be his apprentice.”

The wind picked up and Hinata shivered. “And you?”

Yamaguchi sighed as he stared ahead. Hinata wondered if it was okay for him to ask something so personal. But Yamaguchi was already talking before he could tell him it’s okay if he didn’t want to say anything. 

“My tribe used to be one of the travelling merchants I told you earlier about.” He started. “We specialised in herbs and spices. That’s how I became quite interested in studying herbal medicines. Anyway, I was too young back then, and my memory is quite hazy.

“We were on our way to a neighbouring town. This was a few months after the war finally ended. It seemed as if things had returned back to normal. I guess it had been in the capital or in less secluded parts of the realm.

“I remember my mother trying to wake me up. I thought she was trying to tell me we had arrived. But then I remember how frantic she was. She looked so afraid and angry and I thought she was mad at me or of something else entirely. 

“Now that I think about it, I think she must have been crying that time.” Yamaguchi paused as if he was trying to relive a memory. “It took me a while to realise that we were under attack. The rebels who were hiding in the pass we went through ambushed us. They stole everything and left nothing behind.

“Some tried to fight back, only to have their lives handed back to them. They burned the carriages and the carts after they took every last thing they were able to put their hands on. They harassed the women and children, thinking they could sell them off as slaves or prostitutes. My father fought against them as they dragged my mother away. 

“They killed him and took my mother away. That was the last time I saw her. Before they spotted her though, she managed to hide me behind the nearby bushes. She put a glamour over me so I won’t be spotted so easily. 

“I watched as they took everything away. I couldn’t remember what happened next but someone saw me walking down the road and brought me back into the camp.”

Hinata was unsure of what to say. He can somehow relate to Yamaguchi’s story but in his case, he was way too young to remember how it was like to lose both parents at the same time. The grief finally sunk in when he was old enough, but he knows it’s nothing compared to how Yamaguchi must have felt. 

Yamaguchi smiled as if sensing Hinata’s thoughts. “You don’t have to say anything Hinata. It happened so long ago and I can barely remember it now. I just hope none of the same things which happened to me would not happen to those children in the camp, or any other children out there.”

“Times are different now. We can now fight off the rebels and there’s barely any attacks anymore.” Yamaguchi added and sighed. “Sometimes I miss living in the camp. That’s a part of the reason why I volunteered for this work.”

“I really liked it there. It’s really peaceful and life seems so simple but everybody seems so happy.” Hinata said.

“Yeah.” Yamaguchi nodded. “Too bad I even have less memories in my time at camp. I didn’t really stay there for too long but I knew it was one of the most memorable moments in my life.”

“What was it like?” 

“It’s the simplest life you can ever imagine. There was this elder lady who lived in the tent next to mine. She didn’t have any children but she did live with two of her younger sisters. And so she decided to take care of me as well.” Yamaguchi smiled at the memory. “Her name was Megumi and she passed away a few years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Hinata offered but Yamaguchi only brushed it off.

“She died peacefully.” He said. “She did so much for me considering I had been a stranger. She was the reason why I found my place in the palace.”

Hinata didn’t say anything but he just patiently waited for Yamaguchi to continue. 

“The king used to do rounds in the camp. He used to be the one to deliver the relief supplies to us.” Yamaguchi explained. “On one of his visits, he decided to bring along the young prince. Kageyama was such an adventurous child back then and he brought all sorts of trouble towards his stewards.” 

“Gee, that sounds like a totally different person.” Hinata comments and Yamaguchi just laughed.

“I know. What a character development, but anyway, he pulled a stunt which got him into trouble. The king ordered him to return to the carriage, but of course Kageyama attempted to escape his fate by running away and hiding behind one of the tents.

“I walked up to him, curious about what he was trying to do. I somehow ended up helping him find a better hiding spot. I guess, my younger self was just too excited to have someone who's about my age to play with.

“We somehow found ourselves a bit further than we should have gone. Behind the camp site, there was this river. I remember Kageyama challenging me to whoever’s faster to swim across the river. I was reluctant at first, aware of how deep the river was and how cold it actually is despite how inviting it looks. But then I eventually agreed.

“I remember how frightened I was when Kageyama started to drown.” 

Hinata gasped, followed by a giggle. “He challenged you even though he couldn’t swim? Such an idiot.”

“I somehow suspect he wasn’t aware of how lacking he was with his ability to stay afloat.” Yamaguchi joined in. It was one of the most memorable memories of his childhood. He can never forget how flimsy Kageyama’s arms were as he flailed his arms in the air. 

“His attendants found us resting on the river bank a bit later then.” Yamaguchi said. “Although unnecessary, the king still offered me a reward for saving his son. Although a part of it was somehow my fault for agreeing with the challenge.”

They were getting close. Far ahead, they can already see the manor perched proudly on top of a hill. 

“I was too young, I didn’t know what to ask for.” Yamaguchi continued. “Megumi was the one who begged the king to take me with them. She said I’ll have a better shot at life if I won’t spend the rest of my life stuck in camp. I guess the king took pity on me and took me with them. I was sad to leave, but that’s what Megumi wanted me to do. I partly did it for her. She was like a mother to me. I owe her everything I have now.”

“She must be so proud of who you’ve become.” Hinata said. 

“Thank you. I sure hope so.” Yamaguchi replied with a smile.

* * *

Hinata had such a good afternoon that he almost forgot about the whole ordeal with him sleeping on Kageyama’s bed. It was bad enough that he had to live with his own embarrassment silently. His luck for the day must have run out totally, since for the very first time since he arrived in the manor, Kageyama decided to join them at dinner.

He tried to avoid eye contact at all times and only stole a few short glances his way to make sure he’s not staring. Luckily for him, Kageyama seems to be engrossed with a conversation with Daichi and Asahi.

Yamaguchi kept on sending him encouraging smiles from across the table while Suga kept on looking at him knowingly. For the first time ever, he was thankful for Noya and Tanaka’s usual banter. It kept him distracted enough to last him the whole dinner.

Tsukki was the first one to leave, saying something about paperworks he needed to finish. Though Hinata had a feeling he was only trying to escape away from the chaotic bunch. He couldn’t blame the guy.

* * *

Hinata managed to survive dinner without any interaction by the one person he was trying so hard to avoid. He found his way towards the library to do a bit of light reading before bed just like he usually does. 

He was too tired to focus, and so he was about to put down the book when someone from behind him cleared their throat. He quickly turned around only to see the last person he wanted to see.

“I heard you went with Yamaguchi today.” Kageyama casually said as he slowly strolled towards the desk where Hinata sat. He didn’t pull up a chair, but he did lean on the table, crossing both his hands across his chest as he towered over Hinata. 

“O-Oh, yeah I did.” Hinata said and laughed nervously. “It was fun. I’d love to go back again the next time.”

“You know you don’t have to ask permission. Just don’t go out on your own.”

Hinata narrowed his eyes at the high lord. A few days ago he had been quite strict with keeping him within the manor walls. He wondered what changed his mind. Anyhow, he was glad that he did because he was already starting to get bored just roaming around the manor every day. 

If he was being honest, a small part of him is still terrified of going out there. But that fear holds nothing to his love for adventure. What he saw today in camp made him more curious about the other things the realm had to offer. He wanted to see everything, the lakes, the forests, the different towns. He wanted to see the people. If anything, today had helped him quite a bit. He always thought there was nothing else that’s good out there, considering the majority of his encounters had been either quite deadly or borderline terrifying. 

“I don’t plan to.” Hinata said. “I know I’m currently the main target even though I have zero idea as to why that is.” 

Kageyama paused before saying, “I have something to give you.” 

“Yeah, what is it?” 

He held a small rectangular box. It looks nothing special, and the wood looks quite worn out. On the surface are a bunch of familiar carvings and equally unfamiliar writings. He had seen similar designs all over the manor, even some of the books have that carving on them as well. It must be something that’s unique in this court, he could only guess. 

“Open it.” 

Inside was a silver necklace. A thin intricate chain connected to a teardrop ruby red stone. The stone was about as big as his thumb. Somehow it looks compelling, like he had seen it somewhere before but just couldn’t tell where. 

“This was my mother’s.” Kageyama said as he took the necklace out of it’s velvet case. “She gave it to me when I was younger, or so they told me. I can’t really remember.”

“Why are you giving this to me?” Hinata asked with his brows raised. The necklace looks feminine and it’s not something he would find himself wearing. He never owned something as priceless as this and he couldn’t think of a good reason why Kageyama is giving it to him out of most people.

Kageyama rose from his position and stepped closer towards Hinata. Despite his protests, Kageyama had managed to make him wear it. 

“It’s a talisman. Promise me you won’t try to take it off.” 

Hinata thumbed the pendant and he swore it glimmered like it just came to life. “You haven’t answered my question.” He said as he looked up at Kageyama.

To his surprise, Kageyama leaned in closer, invading his personal space. He held onto the arm rests of the chair as he studied how the necklace looked on Hinata’s neck. Hinata held his breath, knowing that with their close proximity, his scent would be too strong for him to tolerate. And he wasn’t about to let himself get caught in sniffing Kageyama.

“You came into my room.” Kageyama murmured and Hinata was about to babble his excuses when Kageyama spoke again, this time a bit louder than before. “Don’t try to deny it. Have you forgotten I can look into your thoughts?”

Hinata gasped as a warm wave of embarrassment washed over his whole body. He pushed Kageyama away and clumsily stood on his feet. 

“Stop reading my mind.” He said. “That's an invasion of privacy.”

“Maybe you should try to control what you think then.” Kageyama replied with a smirk. “You don’t want to be spilling your darkest and deepest secrets to me now all the time, would you?”

Hinata crossed his arms on his chest and made the most unbothered face he could muster. “I don’t have any secrets.”

“We all do.” Kageyama said as a reply, amusement laced in his tone. “I used to wear that myself. My scent should still be on it. That should help you with your nightmares.”

Hinata’s eyes widened. “You knew?”

Kageyama nodded while trying to hold his laugh. Hinata looks so mad he looks like he was about to burst soon. “With that, you don’t have to come into my room. I still need my bed, you know.”

“Fine.” Hinata huffed. He knew he should at least thank him for the effort but his embarrassment was all he could focus on now.

Kageyama turned around and started towards the door. Before he could exit, he looked over his shoulder and said, “You really do drool while you sleep. Not to mention the snoring.”

“What?” Hinata snapped back. “How did you— “

The stupid smirk on Kageyama’s face was enough indication. His blush returned to his face as realisation hit him. Before he could say anything else, Kageyama was already gone. Leaving Hinata as he fumed with embarrassment.

“God I hate him.” He hissed as he slumped back in his seat, thumbing the necklace on his neck. At the back of his mind, he swore he heard a soft chuckle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written a chapter this fast before. It only took me last night and this morning to finish it and for the first time, it didn't go into the 'reject folder'. lol. Just so you know, I didn't proofread this, so if there's any type of error please let me know and I'll fix it immediately.
> 
> The goal was to know a bit more about Yams and add more to his character. There might be more about him in the later chapters but we'll see what happens. I also intend to do the same to the others so watch out for that. hihihi
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like it and thank you for reading!! xx


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been gone for soooooo long that I almost forgot where I left off the last time. Oops hahaha Btw I just really want to thank those who have left their kudos, subscribed and bookmarked this fic. You have to know that I really appreciate it so thank you so much!!!
> 
> Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

“You actually gave it to him.” Tsukki said, a smug grin plastered on his face as he leaned against the doorframe entering Kagayema’s office. “I thought you were so against him knowing anything. Aren’t you letting him go after this is all over?”

Kageyama stopped writing, the tip of his pen pushed firmly on the delicate parchment. He looked up to his companion then back down onto the paper. “I can’t hide him forever.” He continues to write. “I have to let him stand on his own two feet. I won’t always be here to protect him.”

“No, but the others will.” Tsukki replied, walking across the room to sit on one of the leather chairs. “I’m sure the omegas will lay their life for them if need be.” 

“That’s not enough!” Kageyama blinked, surprised he raised his voice. “I-I need to be the one to do it.” He said in a much lower voice.

“But you won’t be by his side at all times. You said so yourself earlier.” Tsukki said, slightly amused at the reaction he managed to milk out of the usually stoic high lord. “Why go far to these lengths King? Why not just assign one of us to be his bodyguard? If you think the omegas aren’t enough then choose one of us alphas instead.”

Kageyama knows what Tsukki is doing and he hates himself for letting it get to him. Why, he asked. Kageyama is fully aware of why he gave Hinata the necklace. It was a bit too late when he realised what it is, that when he did, he couldn’t deny it any longer. 

Hinata is a human, a mortal. He’s delicate and fragile, not to mention he’s also an omega. At first that had been the only reason. But Kageyama had to rescue him a bit too often, not that he was complaining and he’s definitely not complaining now. Before he knew it, his alpha had already staked a claim on the omega and decided that they would protect Hinata at all cost. 

He was willing to ignore it and let Hinata go when the time comes. He knows he would be able to bottle himself up, to restrain his alpha from getting their claws into the omega. He realised then, that he not only needed to protect Hinata against enemies but he also needed to protect him against himself. 

By what he gathered so far, Hinata is a free spirit. He has a will stronger than steel and he’s someone who shouldn’t be restrained and controlled in any way.

There is no way he’ll let himself become Hinata's cage. 

But then Hinata developed those nightmares. He remembers jolting up in the middle of the night, panting and sweating over a nightmare that’s not even his. Hinata’s nightmares are as vivid in his mind as it is for the omega and it took him everything in his being not to barge in his room and gather the frightened omega in his arms. 

He couldn’t do anything about it. It’s impossible to calm Hinata down through the bond, one that exists only in their heads, one that Hinata isn’t even aware of. 

Hinata likes his scent, that much he knows. But he never realised it had more to it than that. They’re not mated, Hinata isn’t bonded to him. But it seems Hinata can only react to _his_ scent and his scent alone. The thought of another alpha scenting Hinata made him see nothing but red.

Realising he’s not getting any response, Tsukki sighed and slouched on his seat. “What if he can’t awaken it?”

“He will.” 

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he’s meant to.” 

  
  


* * *

It’s dark and cold. The late night breeze fluttered the curtains, the sheets left discarded on the vanity ruffled. Hinata pulled his foot back inside the thick duvet, hugging the warmth closer to his curled up body. 

The necklace Kageyama gave to him earlier that day sat on top of his bedside drawer. In the darkness it seems to ignite, the embers buried beneath cackled bright. Hinata stirred in his sleep, a brush of something cold caressed his exposed cheek, he shuddered. 

_“Wake up little one.”_

Hinata was diving in and out of consciousness. It wasn’t that long since he fell asleep. Kageyama’s idea seems to have worked. His scent stuck with the necklace, however faint it may be, it’s still there. 

_“Open your eyes dearest.”_

He no longer gets fazed by his nightmares. However, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s still terrified of them. He can barely tell whether one is a dream or a nightmare. The one he’s having now however is neither of the two. Or at least he thinks so. 

He sat in the middle of a meadow, lilacs and daisies covered the vast field. There was nothing else present, not a tree or a bush in sight. The temperature resembled that of a warm summer sun, a hint of sweet aroma wafted along with the wind. 

Hinata narrowed his eyes, squinting at the far off distance across the field. There stood a woman in white. The soft fabric of her gown danced with the wind, her raven hair contrasted everything that’s light and colourful. She is of fae-kind. The tip of her pointed ears poked against the side of her head and through her thick, silky hair. Her face unrivaled in terms of beauty. Her sharp ocean eyes perfectly contrasted her pearl-while skin. 

“Who are you?” Hinata asked, hopefully loud enough for his voice to be carried all the way to where she stood. 

“If I come closer, would you run away?” She said, her voice rich and sophisticated but gentle at the same time. 

“That depends. What do you want from me?” Hinata replied, and the woman smiled. The curl of her lips familiar to him in some way, as if he had seen someone smile a similar way before. 

“I have answers you seek.” She said, the necklace that hung low on his neck felt heavier that normal. Throughout the impulse, Hinata’s finger found his pendant. The action may become a new habit of his.

The woman’s eyes landed on his chest, her expression changed. She looks almost sad but pleased at the same time.

“Who are you? You never gave me your answer the first time I asked.” 

“I apologise.” She bowed her head slightly. “I am Kageyama Hikari. I know a lot about you Hinata Shoyo.”

She paused, but before he could ask anything she already spoke.

“I am nothing but a dream, an illusion if you will. But all of this is real. You have come to my meadow as I have invited you.” A smile crossed her face. “My son has finally found you.”

“Kageyama...he, I mean, the high lord of the court of mist…”

“You are correct. I am his mother.” She supplied for him. “What you are wearing on your neck was once mine.”

Hinata looked down on his chest and then back to the woman. “He did say that. Why do I have this?”

“Did he not say why?” 

“He did. He said it belonged to you and he gave it to me because...” Hinata trailed. Unsure of whether he should tell her the rest of the details. “I know there’s something else. I want to know what that is.”

“I gave birth to him during the most unfortunate of times.” She started. “I can still remember holding his tiny body, how warm he felt bundled in my arms. The little time I had with him had been too short, for my life had to end right there. 

“My mate had sent me to the mortal world a few moons prior to his birth. The war was just at its peak, I didn’t want to leave my kingdom and my mate behind. The omega in me won’t let me, but I was carrying another life. My unbirthed child.

“Never in my life had I imagined I’d step foot in the mortal realm. But it was the only place with the lowest probability of them finding us. I lived there for months, along with me was a woman of mortal birth. She took me in her care and offered her assistance until I was to give birth. I was in no position to decline the offer.

“But the weight of living in the mortal world finally started to take a toll on my body. My magic became stagnant, my whole being was starting to crumble. Being apart from my mate also didn’t do me any favours. It felt like death day by day.

“I knew it was the end after I heard my baby’s first cry. My vision was blurry, I couldn’t see his face properly but I knew he had been beautiful. The fire in me was about to die out and I knew I can’t leave my son without anything. 

“I was at the last of my strength, with the minuscule magic I had left in me. Before my last breath, I managed to conjure everything up and condense it into that amulet you have now on your neck.

“But I never expected the woman to make a vow. At that moment, I hoped she didn’t but now I’m more than glad and in gratitude for what she did. 

“She vowed to protect my son in my stead, to stay by his side no matter what and even in death her spirit will always seek for him. She unknowingly bound her soul to my son and I was in no condition to stop her.

“My magic, as well as my presence is inside that pendant. That’s what gave me the chance to seek you in your dreams, Hinata Shoyo. You have always been destined to become my vessel.” 

“Does he know?” Hinata swallowed. “Is that why he gave this to me?”

“I am unsure of how much Tobio knows.” She replied. “But it shouldn’t be a coincidence. He must have figured out you are nothing of the ordinary.”

“What do you mean by ordinary?” He asked.

“I had to make sure that the necklace won’t fall into the wrong hands.” She answered. “The only ones who can stand it’s presence is someone of my bloodline and someone of the mortal woman’s.”

“Kage—Tobio may have made a mistake.” He blushed at the mention of Kageyama’s given name. He figured it should have been inappropriate, considering both their statuses. “I’m nothing special. I just lost my way once into this realm and the wolves had been kind enough to let me stay.”

“You found your way to him and he found his way to yours.” She insisted. “It’s no mere coincidence how you suddenly found each other that one day. How often have you been inside that forest and met someone not of your world?”

Hinata shook his head, as if it would help put back everything in place. “I’m not of your bloodline. Are you saying I’m a descendant of that mortal woman?” He asked.

“She had fiery red hair and bright amber eyes.” She said. “She carried unparalleled goodness in her heart that no one can ever dream to compete against. I wouldn’t have entrusted my son to her if she was anything less.”

“What should I do now?” Hinata couldn’t help but ask. He can already feel the weight of his destiny on his shoulders. 

“You don’t have to do anything Hinata Shoyo.” She spoke, her voice gentle and kind. Something Hinata imagined his mother would have sounded if she had been alive. “It’s enough that you’re beside him right now. It won’t stay like this forever. Someday you might have to find your own way, maybe even back to your home in the mortal world.”

Somehow, his heart clenched at the idea of going back. “There must be something. I knew. I felt something the first time we met. I knew I was bound to him the moment our paths crossed.” 

“My time is almost up.” She said. “And I can’t demand you to do anything for him. I’ve done enough to place such an unfair role onto you and the ones that came before you. But as a mother, may I ask for one thing?”

Hinata looked up, determination set on his face. “Anything.”

“Make him feel that warmth.” She spoke gently, almost quietly. Then Hinata realised she had started to disappear, like a smoke dissipating into thin air. “Make him feel my love Hinata Shoyo.” 

* * *

  
  


“Sorry.” He muttered for the upteenth time that morning as he bowed to pick up another arrow from the pile. 

Noya just observed him. For days Hinata had shown quite the improvement with his aim and flexibility. Despite the small mishaps here and there, he still seemed he had it all figured out. His skills are slowly starting to develop and Noya was proud of himself for being the one to guide Hinata through it. 

Hinata is a practical learner, there was no point in sitting down and explaining what he should do with words and instructions. So he learned to show, not teach. Everytime he had something new he wanted to make Hinata do, he would demonstrate it first as Hinata stood on the sidelines to observe. He did the same tactic for their new lesson today but Hinata seems to be out of it since he came down late this morning. 

“We should take a break. I bought some of that mint tea from breakfast.” Noya offered but Hinata just simply shook his head to decline the offer. So Noya let him be. It might be best to just leave him alone for now.

“Are you guys done for the day?” Kageyama asked as he walked alongside Asahi. 

“What are you guys doing here?” Noya asked. “And no, we’re not done yet I think.” He says as he looks over to where his student stood. He sighed. “Shoyo seemed unfocussed today. I asked him to take a break but he didn’t want to. I have no idea what’s wrong with him.”

“Maybe we should do this next time.” Asahi spoke but mostly to Kageyama. “Noya’s right. Even from here, I can smell his distress. We should let him be for now.”

“It’s fine. I want to see where this goes.” Kageyama replied as he stalked his way towards the omega. 

Hinata’s shoulder stiffened when he sensed Kageyama walking towards him. He tries to ignore him by picking up another arrow. He was ready to fire when Kageyama spoke. 

“You’ll miss.”

Hinata grit his teeth in a clench and let go. He missed.

His dream frustrated him, though he had no idea why. It could also be due to his upcoming heat even though he never had to deal with the same issues before. Not hitting a single target since they started didn’t help either. 

Kageyama reached for the bow and pried it away from his clenched grip. Hinata was glad he didn’t flinch when Kageyama grabbed his wrist to make him face his way. 

“What’s wrong with you?” The high lord asked, his eyes searching Hinata’s face for answers. 

“Why won’t you just read my mind instead?” Hinata returned his gaze with the same intensity. 

“I’d rather have you tell me yourself.” 

Hinata wriggled his wrists free from Kageyama’s hold. “It’s nothing. I guess I’m just tired.” He says.

Kageyama sighed. “I don’t have to read your mind to know that you are lying. Tell me.”

Hinata shifted his gaze towards Asahi and Noya who were silently observing them from where they stood. “Not here. Can we talk someplace else?”

Kageyama looked over his shoulder, he nodded towards their direction once and the two just nodded before they turned around to leave. He turned towards Hinata and said, “Now we’re alone. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“What else have you been keeping from me?” Hinata said so quietly, but it was loud enough for Kageyama to hear. His fingers found the pendant, now resting cold and heavier on his chest. “You had a reason why you gave me this and it had nothing to do with my nightmares. So tell me, what else is there?”

“It was part of the reason why. You said so yourself, you need my scent to help you sleep.” Kageyama said as a response.

Hinata looked at him with a blank expression. He isn’t pleased with the answer. “You could have given me something else. A shirt would have had more of your scent in it. Kageyama, I need to know everything. I don’t want to be kept in the dark. Why did you give it to me?”

“Hinata—”

“I won’t run away. I promise I won’t.” Gentle hands took hold of his wrists. Hinata moved a step closer, his eyes never leaving Kageyama’s as he tightened his grip. Almost as if he’s worried Kageyama will run away from him instead. “I just want to know everything. Why did you take me here? Why let me stay for this long? Why risk your lives to protect mine? What is my purpose here?”

“Something tells me you already know something.” Kageyama said and he might as well just admit everything he knows. The last of his resolve crumbled into a thousand pieces, as honey coloured eyes peeked expectantly at him, waiting for nothing but truthfulness and honesty. 

“I don’t know what I know and what I don’t.” Hinata whispered, his grip loosening but he didn’t let go. “So I need to know now. I need you to tell me.”

“I’m sorry if I didn’t say anything at first. You deserved to know, so I apologise for saying nothing.” Kageyama started. He thought of moving someplace else, something more private and more comfortable. But Hinata seems determined. “Where should I start?”

“From the beginning.” Hinata demanded, the fire in his eyes was hard to say no to. “Your mother. I want to know more about her.”

“What brought this on?” Kageyama managed to say. Hinata caught him off guard. He was expecting Hinata to ask about something else. 

Hinata took a step back, crossing his arms to his chest. “She came to me in a dream last night.” He admitted as he looked at the ground, at the target pole a few metres away from where they stood, anywhere but Kageyama’s face. “She told me things...about this necklace and why you gave it to me. I want to know if what she said was true.”

“What did she say?”

“Tell me why you gave me this and then I’ll tell you.” Hinata countered. 

Kageyama closed his eyes, his mind trying to decide whether it’s time for Hinata to know everything. Should he tell him everything? No, unless he asks for anything specific. 

“I’ve always had that ever since I can remember.” He started. “I was told it was my mother’s. At first I only kept it as a reminder of her but I eventually discovered there’s more to it than just some simple jewellery.

He sighed before continuing. “Oikawa thought the necklace was laced in dark magic. We were kids and I almost believed him. No one else can touch it other than me, not even Oikawa. It made me feel special.

“The night before I was appointed as high lord, she showed herself in a dream, the same way as she did to you. She explained to me everything about her and that necklace. 

“She told me I was to wait for someone. Someone who the necklace won’t repel, someone who will be given to me by fate. I had no idea what she meant and I didn’t try to find out what. But I waited. For years I waited patiently but nothing came, nothing happened. I was starting to believe that dream was false, that maybe it was my longing that made my mind create that illusion.

Kageyama took a step forward, his hand moved to reach up as if he was to caress Hinata’s cheek. But just as he was about to make contact, he gradually pulled away. “And then you came.” Kageyama smiled as if he was remembering a pleasant memory. But Hinata didn’t miss to notice how sad his eyes looked, how his expression changed from longing to solemn. 

“I wasn’t meant to be on that hunt that day.” Kageyama continued. “When we go to the mortal world, our magic gets weakened. I shouldn’t have done it, considering I was already a high lord. If anything happened my court would have suffered the consequences.”

“Then why did you?” Hinata asked. 

“That day I was pissed at my father. I guess you could say I did it to spite him.” Kageyama answered with a slight grin. “I was also curious. I’ve been meaning to come along with the pack during one of their hunts for a long time.”

Hinata stared at him blankly for a few seconds. His eyebrows both pulled towards the centre of his forehead, his lips slightly pursed. “Why me? I’m nobody. Why did you choose me?”

“I didn’t.” Kageyama admitted. “Hinata, you were different...you _are_ different. Your smell, your scent, everything about you invites me in.”

Hinata’s breath hitched, his eyes widened slightly. The way Kageyama said it made him feel warm and giddy. It sounded so...dominant. Predatory. Like a true alpha. 

“That day, I...we could have just left you alone. But it wasn't just me who you had an effect on.” Kageyama explained. “Daichi knew almost at the same time as I did and Suga was quite determined to bring you back with us.”

“So what does this mean? Why am I still here?” 

“You’re here because you are under our protection. I should have realised the consequences of bringing you here.” Kageyama said. “You’re not entitled to do anything that you don’t want to do. What do you want Hinata?”

“I don’t know what I want.” Hinata muttered as he avoided the high lord’s intense gaze. “What are your expectations of me?”

“Hinata.” Kageyama spoke, his voice coaxing, his scent intensifying as he sensed Hinata’s anxiety starting to build up. “I am not your master, you are not required to obey and follow my command. You are more than what you think you are. Why do you think my enemies are out to seek you out for themselves?”

“What makes you different from them? How do I know you’re not just using me as they would if they are in your place?”

Kageyama paused. His eyes roamed Hinata’s face, tracing the outline of his jaw, the sculpture of his nose and the curve of his lips. He found Hinata’s eyes last. “You can read me can’t you? If you doubt my intentions and if my words aren’t enough, then you are welcome to get inside my head.”

Hinata reached forward and Kageyama’s hand itched to meet him halfway. But Hinata grabbed for the bow still clutched on his hand instead. Hinata turned around, picked up another arrow and poised it to take aim. He let go and hit his first bullseye for the day. His shoulders relaxed as silenced enveloped them both.

“If you want me to stay,” He starts. “Then I want to get stronger. I want to be capable enough to defend myself.”

“Okay.”

“No more secrets. I want to know everything.”

“Anything you want.”

Hinata had a lot of questions to ask. But the first one that came out of his mouth was, “How can you read my mind freely and I can’t do the same to you?”

Kageyama sighed a breath of relief, he almost looked amused. “Well, it’s because I know how to control it and you don’t. There are others out there with the capability of reading other people’s minds. And with my line of profession, I come across them more often than necessary. I need to know how to block them by putting up barriers.”

“Barriers.” Hinata whirled on his heel and stalked towards the high lord. “I want to learn how to do that too!”

Kageyama’s eyebrows quirked, a pleased smile escaping his lips. “When do we start?”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think please :/ I'm not 100% pleased with this chapter tbh. I feel like there's not enough in it? But I just really wanted to update ahahaha and hopefully now that I've got all the time since I'm on break, I can update a bit more frequently. (That is if I won't run out of ideas and motivation to write hehe)
> 
> So if you have any suggestions or stuff you want to happen, then please let me know? It would be nice to use as inspiration or a guide. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! xx


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got some pretty good feedback from the previous chapter. So thank you guys so much!!! I really wasn't expecting it. You guys are the best!! <3

Hinata’s face warmed. “Are you really going to do it?”

Kageyama lifted a brow. “Why?”

“I dunno -- You’re a high lord. Don’t you have better things to do?”

“Of course. But they can wait. I’m sure Tsukki and Asahi are more than capable of holding the fort while I’m gone.” 

“Can’t Suga or Yamaguchi do it instead?”

Kageyama sighed, stalking closer to where Hinata sat. He stopped when he reached the corner of the long table, arms crossed. “No. Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“No!” Hinata chirped, then immediately collected himself. “I mean, no. I was just wondering.” 

Kageyama huffed a laugh as he leaned against the edge of the table. “Unfortunately only I can do this with you. I’m all you’ve got, unless you can successfully form a mind-link with them right this instant.”

“You can do that?” Hinata perked up, much too obviously. 

“No.”

“Oh.”

“We can stop this if you want to.” Kageyama said as he stared ahead. He tries to tune out Hinata’s thoughts in his head, a skill he recently came across. Their mind-link does have its perks for him, especially since it makes it easier for him to read the omega. But the little red-head’s mind seems to be as loud as his mouth, especially at night. It took him a while to get used to buffering Hinata’s thoughts. He had enough of feeling like a creep, to always be in tune to whatever goes on inside that little red-head of his even if it’s unintentional. He’s done his part and he plans to make Hinata do the same. If he was to stay in the realm a little while longer, it would do him good to know how to block other mind intruders. 

In Hinata’s part, having someone else get inside his head is making him quite uncomfortable. Even if it’s Kageyama -- no, especially if it’s Kageyama! He knows Kageyama wouldn’t overstep his boundaries, but still… He’s always been aware of their mind-link, and knows that Kageyama can pretty much walk in and out of his mind as much as he wants to. But there are others out there who have the capability of reading other’s minds even without a link or a bond. He wants to know how to form a mind block, for himself and for the sake of the court. If the enemies can get their hands on him, they won’t hesitate to milk information out of him. If it’s the only thing he can contribute to make the others’ jobs a bit easier, then… 

“I’m ready.” He blurts out, sitting straighter against his seat.

The corner of Kageyama’s lips quirked into a smile. He pushed himself up as he made his way around the table, pulling a chair which sits directly in front of Hinata. “We’ll start it slow. I need you to get used to it first. It can get a bit overwhelming since you’re inexperienced. So, you have to let me know if it gets too much, I’ll stop immediately.” Hinata nodded his head.

Kageyama leaned back in his seat, as their eyes met Hinata felt sharp claws caressing his mind and the high lord’s voice whispered inside his head:  _ Can you hear me, Hinata? _

Hinata jolted back, his seat groaning as he yelped a “Yes!”

_ “How does it feel?”  _ Kageyama’s voice was loud and clear, even though it sounds hushed, like he’s speaking through a well.

“I-It’s fine, I guess.” 

But Kagyema pressed harder, his claws digging in. Hinata can feel him everywhere. His entire body, his heart, his lungs, his blood -- He can feel his whole being yielding at Kageyama’s vice-like grip, utterly at his command as he said, “ _ You’re doing good Hinata.” _

Hinata didn’t answer, he couldn’t. He can’t even move or even blink.

_ “This is what happens if you let someone else swallow your mind completely, if you have no mental shields to guard yourselves from outsiders. Someone with the power to do so can slip inside your mind as easily as breathing. They can see what they want and take your mind for themselves. They can even shatter it. I’m currently at the shallow depths of your mind...if I could go in further, I can even access memories from all the way to your childhood. I can acquire memories you yourself have already forgotten. Shall I continue?” _

Cold sweat started to form on Hinata’s forehead. He can only manage a soft nod for an answer. Kageyama studied him for a few seconds before he continued speaking.

_ “I won’t go any further. Now, shove me out.” _

Hinata knows he can’t, Kageyama’s claws are holding him everywhere, restraining him. 

_ “Shove me out Hinata.” _

He wants to ask him how, but his lips wouldn’t move. But Kageyama’s eyes are still fixed on him, challenging him, telling him to try harder. He didn’t know where to begin, but he gathered all his strength and blindly slammed against Kageyama. 

_ “That’s better but you have to try harder. Find a way out.” _

It’s like being trapped in a room full of mirrors, each corner slowly closing into the middle, caging him in. He struck, with all his weight and his strength but he just bounced against the glass. It would take him forever to unhook each claw. He imagined a wave, let an unknown energy wash all over him. The warmth gathered in his belly, ready to ignite. He tried to slam himself against the wall one last time but it didn’t harvest any results.

He didn’t let Kageyama anticipate his next move, as he let a wave of energy he rallied to wash off his body.

The claws loosened, Kageyama’s laughter, low and soft, filled his head and his ears. “Good.”

His bones, his mind, they were his again. He slumped in his seat, inhaling a big gulp of air into his lungs. 

“You did well in fighting me off, but that wasn’t all.” Kageyama says. “Now you have to learn how to block me out so I can’t go back in.”

Hinata groaned, already imagined a nice cup of tea made by Suga paired with muffins he made earlier with Yamaguchi--

Sharp claws on the outer layer of his mind stroked.  _ “Focus Hinata. Have you forgotten I can still read your thoughts?” _

He imagined a tall, tall wall looming in front of him, high enough to block the view from the other side. The claws retracted in an instant.

“Very nice. Rusty, but good enough.” Kageyama compliments him and Hinata leaned forward against the table. “We should leave it at that for today. Hopefully, I can finally get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

Hinata was too tired to snap back at him. Instead he just turned his head to the side and stuck his tongue out at the grinning high lord. 

  
  


* * *

“Hey, you okay?” Yamaguchi nudged him to get his attention.

“Yeah, just wondering if it’s really okay for me to come? I don’t want to get in the way.” He confessed, Yamaguchi just smiled and tapped him lightly at the back. They stood on top of a hill, not too high, not too steep, but elevated enough to see the above region of the forest floor. 

“Don’t sweat it. You won’t even be joining us.” Yamaguchi chuckled. “It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Hinata looked down at the bow clutched tightly in his hand. “Then why did I have to bring this with me?”

“We don’t know what’s out there. That’s just for precaution, although I don’t think you’ll be needing it anyway.” He winked just as Kageyama arrived, dressed in simple loose clothes reserved for when they’re hunting. 

“Everything alright?” He needed to ask this time. Hinata had been practicing his shields for a couple of days and he learned how to keep it up permanently quite fast. Noya had been right when he said Hinata is a fast learner. 

Hinata will stay with Kageyama while the others hunt. However, tonight is going to be different. The wolves have agreed to turn their usual hunt into a game of catch the flag. The pack will be divided into two, minus Kageyama this time since he’ll stay as umpire. Asahi, Noya and Daichi will be together in one group. Suga, Tanaka, Tsukki and Yamaguchi will be in the other. 

“We won’t lose even if you have two alphas on your team!” Tanaka declared, going head to head with Noya who returned his equally heated staredown. “Team red will take it home tonight, right guys?”

“Oh yeah?” Noya rebutted. “Don’t be too disappointed if you lose even though you have four people on your team!”

The wolves seem to take this game of hunt quite seriously. Tsukki and Asahi seem to have their own silent stare down themselves. 

“Alright. We shouldn’t get too excited quite early shouldn’t we?” Suga grabbed the back of Tanaka’s shirt, yanking him back towards their group. Then his palm slammed hard onto Tsukki’s chest, earning a low grunt from the alpha. “That goes for you too.”

Hinata had to look away when Yamaguchi nuzzled Tsukki’s shoulder gently, chuckling gently at Tsukki’s flushed face. The small display of affection sent warm waves all over his face. 

“Don’t be too reckless out there and stay within bounds.” Kageyama instructed. Everybody simultaneously transformed into their wolf forms and then they got into formation, ready to pounce ahead. “Go.”

Everybody leaped ahead, each group heading towards opposite directions. There was an exchange of howls, Hinata didn’t need to guess who it could be. And then they were gone in a few seconds. The night turned silent, nothing but the soft ruffling of leaves to be heard.

Hinata turned towards Kageyama, who had already transformed. He was captivated for a moment. How can something -- someone, look so dangerous and beautiful at the same time? He couldn’t stop his hand from moving on their own. He reached towards Kageyama’s silky, raven mane. He wondered how the high lord had managed to keep it soft. Other than Daichi and Tsukki, Kageyama was the only one who had no other colour in his fur. His was pitch black, allowing him to camouflage in the darkness of the night. His bright sapphire eyes were like stars in the night sky. He was beautiful.

Kageyama bent lower, waiting for Hinata to climb over his back. Sharp claws caressed the surface of his mind, he let him in. 

_ “You can keep your shield down for tonight. It’s better if we can communicate with each other.”  _ Kageyama whispered in his mind.

“Am I heavy?” Hinata mentally slapped himself for the stupid question but it was too late to take it back. “I mean--”

Kageyama chuckled.  _ “You feel like a sack of feathers. Better hold on, I don’t want the wind to blow you away.” _

He managed to slap Kageyama at the back of his head before they were off. 

Hinata’s breath caught in his throat as the cold night air brushed all over his face. Kageyama looped around trees, jumped over upturned roots. The earthy smell of the forest wafted through his nostrils, the sound of cicadas filling his ears. He looked up to the night sky and a smile slowly formed in his lips. Stars were littered across the vast darkness, like crushed diamonds, twinkling in a harmonious pattern that looked almost hypnotizing. Kageyama stopped running when they reached a clearing.

And then his jaw dropped.

There were flowers growing around the meadow. A mix of reds, yellows, whites and lilacs.  _ Lilacs. _ It reminded him of the field of flowers in his dream, the meadow Kageyama’s mother had shown him. Each stem fluttered as the wind blew past, they danced, organised themselves in a wave of uniformed movements. The moon was big and bright, illuminating the whole area.

“Where are we?” He whispered in awe.

_ “We call this ‘the field of dreams’.” _ Kageyama answered as he lowered himself towards the ground to let Hinata off. 

Hinata’s legs felt wobbly, he had to cling onto Kageyama’s fur to keep his balance. “Wow. Can we stay?”

Kageyama paused, his ears twitched.  _ “Daichi’s team is advancing towards the other base. It looks like they won’t be coming anytime soon.” _

Hinata couldn’t wipe his grin as he skipped forward, eyes bright and wide in awe as he took in his surroundings. He looked up and saw the same pool of stars hung above the dark, night sky. He whirls towards Kageyama. “This place is amazing!”

_ “This meadow is an imitation of what we have back...home.”  _ Kageyama said.  _ “The field of starlight. It was my father’s gift to my mother, or so I was told.” _

Hinata turned around. He couldn’t tell exactly what Kageyama must be feeling right now. But he knows exactly how it feels to miss a parent, to yearn for them, to wonder what they would be like if they were still alive. “She was very beautiful and with the short time I had with her, I can already tell how kind she was.”

_ “Yeah, she was.” _ Kageyama looked up towards the starry sky and then he was quiet. Hinata wished he could say the same with his own. He always wondered what his mother and father would have been like if they were alive. He wished he was born a little bit earlier, to have more time with them before they were taken. He wished he had been old enough to remember their faces at least.

Hinata sighed and lied on his back, sticking both his arms under his head as a pillow as he stared at the night sky. “She offered her life because she loved you. For her, there was no better way to show you.” Hinata paused. “I wonder if I could do the same -- Risk my life for the person I love.”

_ “You are human, that’s why.”  _ Kageyama replies.  _ “Your human heart can stray, easily swayed by your temporary emotions.” _

Hinata huffed a laugh, but he couldn’t argue. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. But aren’t we all?”

_ “No. In this world, we either give it our all or we don’t. Relationships go beyond shallow emotions.”  _ Kageyama said.  _ “Death is not something to be feared. Once we offer ourselves to someone, our lives become theirs.” _

“So would you?” Hinata asked. “Sacrifice your life for someone I mean.”

_ “Maybe. I kind of don’t have a choice don’t i? I have a whole court in the palm of my hands.” _

“Would you die for just anyone?”

_ “If necessary, then yes.”  _

Hinata paused, a small part of him was concerned about how fast Kageyama was able to answer that question. He did not even hesitate. “Then what happens to those you leave behind?”

Kageyama sighed.  _ “I’m only one individual Hinata. My life is a small price to pay to save another fifty.” _

“Idiot.” Hinata scoffed. “Death isn’t the only solution you know?”

_ “I merely answered your question, stupid.”  _

Hinata pushed himself up into a sitting position and immediately started to remove his jacket. 

_ “What are you doing?”  _ Kageyama asked, suspiciously eyeing the omega. 

“Here.” Hinata flung his jacket towards Kageyama’s direction and dropped back to the ground. “Use that to cover yourself up. I wanna show you something.”

_ “You want me to change?”  _ Kageyama asked dumbfounded as he stared at the jacket resting on the ground. 

“Just do it. You can still hear them even if you’re in Fae form right?” 

Kageyama grumbled but did it anyway, rather reluctantly. “What now?” 

Hinata tapped the space beside him without looking. “Come here. Lay down beside me.”

“I don’t know why I’m doing this.” Kageyama muttered, mostly to himself. “What am I even looking at?”

Hinata giggled and turned his head sideways to properly look at the high lord’s profile. “You don’t see it?”

Kageyama’s brows furrowed. “See what?”

“How beautiful it is?”

And he saw it for the first time. 

“It’s pretty isn’t it?” Hinata asked.

The stars are scattered all over the night sky like shimmering tears, provocative and tantalising. “I’ve never seen this many before.”

“You haven’t? Maybe you weren’t looking properly.”

He connected patterns, took note how each individual spec shined differently than the others. Some were shining brightly than the others, some were bigger, yet more dull. 

“You look like you’re enjoying yourself.” 

Kageyama turned his head towards the grinning omega, moonlight illuminating his soft features. 

“When I was younger, I used to believe stars can make your wishes come true. I used to do this,” Hinata raised his arm up, as if he was reaching for the sky. “And imagine I could grab one for myself. I would choose the brightest star but sometimes it’s hard to decide which one’s the brightest.”

Kageyama scoffed. “Who told you that?”

“Someone. I can’t remember who.” Hinata answered. “Falling stars are very rare so I thought, why not grab one for myself instead?”

Kageyama chuckled. “You’ve always been impatient, I see.”

“I guess I am.” Hinata laughed lightly.

“So did it work?” Kageyama asked as he turned his head around to look up again.

Hinata retracted his hand slowly, resting it on his chest as he said, “No. I guess, even the stars can’t give you everything you want at the drop of a hat.”

“What did you wish for?”

Hinata paused, the faint sound of the cicadas mixed in with peaceful silence. It felt like forever until Hinata spoke again, “I wished for a place where I could belong.”

They heard a howl from a distance and Kageyama immediately rose up, Hinata followed. “Was that them?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Kageyama stood and Hinata blushed when he couldn’t look away fast enough. “It looks like Daichi’s team won again.”

“G-Great!” Hinata stuttered as he pulled himself up to stand as well.

Kageyama morphed into his wolf form,  _ “Be ready. It’s a race to the finish line.” _

Hinata didn’t have a chance to ask what Kageyama meant by that. In a split second, a large brown wolf emerged from the trees, followed by another.

_ “The race is complete the moment they can hand the flag back to me.”  _ Kageyama explained.

Three other wolves emerged from the other side, one of them Hinata recognised as Noya. He intercepted the flag-bearer, which Hinata guessed could be Daichi. Their size difference was apparent, but Noya still attacked relentlessly. 

Daichi slammed his body against Noya, sending the smaller one flying back to where he came from. Hinata yelped as he watched Noya whine, lying sideways on the ground. 

_ “Don’t worry, he’s fine.” _

A blur of white zoomed towards the front, a few metres away from Dachi. Suga positioned himself directly in front of the upcoming alpha’s path. 

“What is he doing?” Hinata asked as he gripped the side of Kageyama’s mane. 

_ “Watch.” _ Kageyama said, Hinata detected a slight excitement in his tone.

Daichi barrelled forwards, another grey joined beside him — Asahi. They ran at full sprint, not showing any signs of slowing down as they approached Suga. Tanaka is not that far away from the rest of his group. He is currently occupied keeping Yamaguchi and Noya in check. 

Hinata’s heart pounded, adrenaline rushed through his veins. It looks brutal, with sharp fangs and snapping of jaws. They growled as they grappled, heavy pants mixed with feral snarls.

Suga positioned himself, ready to attack. Hinata’s grip on Kageyama’s fur tightened as the distance between the omega and the alphas shortened. 

It happened so fast, Daichi clashed against Suga while Asahi leaped into the air, the flag now secured in his mouth. But before he could land, there was another blur of gold that leaped into the air. 

Tsukki had been hiding himself behind the trees all along, waiting for the perfect timing to pounce. His jaw snapped as he ripped the fabric out of Asahi’s tight grip, landing gracefully back towards the ground. 

He didn’t waste any second as he made a sharp turn, heading straight towards where Kageyama and Hinata stood. Asahi quickly recovered himself but he was a few seconds too late. Tsukki ran like the lightning, no one could have possibly matched his speed.

Kageyama howled, signalling the end of the game. The wolves started to gather, Yamaguchi was quick to join Tsukki’s side. 

Noya and Tanaka engaged in a sparring match, which was quickly stopped by Daichi. 

_ “Tonight is the red team’s victory. Well done.”  _ Kageyama addressed the wolves who gathered around them after everyone had calmed down.  _ “We should all head back. It’s quite late.” _

The wolves started to disperse. Noya and Tanaka seem to have agreed to another competition. The two raced towards the direction of the manor, both a blur of moving bodies.

_ “Are you okay? You look like you’re not breathing.”  _ Kageyama said. 

“That was super intense!” Hinata exclaimed. “Do you guys do this often?”

Kageyama bent lower, allowing Hinata to climb over his back once again.  _ “Just occasionally.” _

“Have you always watched while the others played?”

_ “I sometimes join them. _

Hinata enjoyed the much slower pace this time. Unlike earlier, Kageyama isn’t running. “You should join them next time. I’ll be the umpire.”

Kageyama’s quiet laugh echoed in his mind.  _ “We’ll see.” _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well???? How was it??? Pls tell me what you think hehehe If I messed up somewhere pls don't hesitate to tell me so I can fix it. I posted this without proofreading lol Anyways, I had fun writing this chapter. So I hope you enjoyed it too! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!!! xx
> 
> p.s. You can reach me via twitter @bb_sunshineee


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!!! Early update because I was inspired today and managed to finish writing ahead of schedule. I was meant to update tomorrow or the following day but oh well. lol
> 
> \---REMINDER: Just in case you've forgotten, Yamaguchi has the ability to "glamour" entities, it could be objects or individuals.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading! <3

“Lift your arms up a bit.” Suga instructed after he fixed Hinata with a worried glance. He unrolled the gauze and started to wrap it around the bruising area on Hinata’s left bicep. Hinata elicited a sharp intake of breath and Suga sighed in disapproval. “I’ll talk to Kageyama later. You don’t have to go back tomorrow, do you hear me?”

“But,” Hinata pouted, despite his battered up body he still looked determined. He stared at Suga with wide amber eyes, pleading, hoping he wasn't serious. “I want to go back.”

Suga sighed and gently let Hinata’s arm go as he started for the tiny scratches on Hinata’s rib. “Hinata, I’m sure he was holding back. If he had been using his whole strength, you should be in a much worse situation.” He turned around to fetch another bottle of antiseptic from the medicinal cabinet. “And that’s exactly why I’m worried for you. You are still human after all. Your body is more fragile than ours and I don’t want to fix you up everyday. Isn’t your archery training doing well enough?”

Hinata rubbed the throbbing on his arm while he stared at the older omega’s back. Lowering his head he said, “I want to be stronger.”

Suga stopped what he was doing and turned around to face the sulking Hinata. “I’m sure you do and trust me, you are strong already yourself. I just don’t want you getting hurt all the time. You have to remember that they are alphas. Even me who had experience in countless sparring matches won’t stand a chance against them, especially Asahi.”

“Is he the strongest?” Hinata sniffled as he looked up at Suga.

“If you mean, is he good at physical combat then yes.” Suga answered. “Daichi can hardly keep up with him and he’s the only one who can go head to head with Kageyama.”

Awe shone in Hinata’s eyes. “Really? That’s amazing! I mean, it’s quite obvious just by his physical appearance alone. If I didn’t know Kageyama is the high lord, I would have probably thought it had been either Daichi or Asahi instead.”

Suga chuckled as he returned to his seat beside Hinata, fresh rolls of gauze and a new bottle of antiseptic in hand. “Despite his hard exterior, Asahi is actually quite soft inside. Move to the side a little bit.” He instructed. “Asahi is a third generation soldier, if he stayed at the palace he would have easily risen up in the ranks quite easily.”

“Why didn’t he?”

Suga didn’t answer straight away, it made Hinata wonder if it’s something he shouldn’t have asked about. Before he could tell Suga to pay no attention to the question, the older omega had already started talking. “Asahi had been Kageyama’s personal guard when we were still in the palace. Even though we are only a few years older than Kageyama, the king was pretty insistent on having Asahi to be his guard. At a young age he was already feared by his peers, he won every match during training camps, he was a natural when it comes to battle execution and strategy. They called him a genius.

“But of course, Asahi believed he wasn't. He was good because he worked hard for it but they were only able to see him as the next leading general. No matter what he did, he was praised and it didn’t set well for him. He hit a hard wall, one he couldn’t overcome. When Kageyama asked him to join this court, he didn’t hesitate. He saw it as an escape from the prison he was in.”

Hinata watched as Suga lightly dabbed on his wounds, thinking how amazing and powerful the people around him were. He can never be as strong as them, he admits to himself. He comes in short when it comes to their superhuman capabilities. Each of them holds their own strengths and although he hasn’t seen them at their full potential, he knows none of the members of the pack are weak at the very least. 

Somewhere along the time he spent in the manor, he developed the desire to acquire his own set of skills and it’s not because he felt left out or felt as if he is an outsider. The wolves have been far too welcoming for that to even cross his mind. He wants to become strong enough to protect himself at least, without the aid of his friends. He wouldn’t be able to feel satisfied with himself until he knows he can stand his own ground and stop being the damsel in distress every time someone tries to come and take him away. 

And maybe Kageyama sensed that yearning from him and that was why he suggested Hinata was to train under Asahi. Kageyama gave him endless opportunities to upgrade his skill arsenal. His archery skills have developed ten-fold, he was able to train his mind how to put up a shield against unwanted mind-readers and now he’s getting the chance to hone a skill at physical combat, one he imagined he could never do no matter what he tried.

He was aware of his physical stature and being an omega didn’t do him some favours either. He also preferred to fight from a long distance away, hence the archery. Fighting with fists was never an option, he wouldn’t stand a chance. But Asahi was merciless, he treated him as if he wasn’t fragile even though he wasn’t using the whole of his strength. It felt good being acknowledged. He wants to learn more from him even if it will take him years.

He watched as Suga wrapped the bandages around his torso, thinking he might get another scolding tomorrow for he plans to take on Asahi’s training again the next day. 

* * *

“Very nice Tadashi!” Noya exclaimed as he repeatedly slapped Yamaguchi in the back, as a way of showing his appreciation for his work. Hinata stood in front of the two omegas, dressed in a black robe which reached just above his shins, paired with brown leather boots which had been previously owned by Noya. But what really stood out of his appearance were the pair of long pointed ears poking at each side of his head, his soft orange curls covering some of it. “Wow Hinata! The look really does suit you!” Noya complimented as he grabbed Hinata by the shoulders to spin him around.

“Of course.” Yamaguchi says, a pleased expression on his face. “What do you think Hinata?”

Hinata turned around to see himself in the mirror as he nodded in pleased approval. He reached up to touch his pseudo-fae ears. “Are you sure no one would notice?” He asked. 

“Would it change your mind of going if I tell you they might?” Yamaguchi countered with a playful tone. He knows Hinata is more than excited to visit the village festival with them, that much he knows. 

“No, you’re right.” Hinata says as he puffed his chest. “I’m ready, let’s go!”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Noya cheered back.

Yamaguchi sighed at their show of overwhelming excitement, for sure he would have to keep a close watch on the two for the rest of the day. “Now, remember the glamour won’t stay for long, mostly only for a few hours or at least for half a day.”

“For the third time Tadashi, yes we know.” Noya rolled his eyes. “It’s like having Suga come along with us. Had he been training you for something else other than alchemy or whatever it is that you do? Like 101 strict parenting for example?”

“You need my 101 parenting supervision if you want to keep yourself out of trouble.” Yamaguchi countered.

“Should I be worried about you three going on your own after all?”

They turned their attention towards Kageyama who was leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed on his chest, brows raised as he assessed the trio. His eyes landed on the red haired omega, a pleased expression flashed across his face. Yamaguchi and Noya stared back and forth between the two, both glancing at each other to exchange knowing grins. Taking the hint, Yamaguchi dragged the giddy Noya out of the room without saying a word. 

Hinata gulped as Kageyama crossed the room in a quiet pace, suddenly feeling a bit conscious as Kageyama circled around him, a hand tucked under his chin. “It’s convincing enough.” He muttered, mostly to himself but loud enough for Hinata to hear anyway.

“Thank you.” He says, even though all the credit should go towards Yamaguchi.

“One last thing.” Kageyama said as he yanked Hinata to stand closer, the fabric of the cloak crumpled under his tight grip. Hinata’s eyes are as wide as saucers, his cheeks are set aflame. Kageyama rubbed his wrist all over his neck, his hair and his arms -- he was scenting him. 

“Wh-What are you doing?” He stammered as he jumped a few seconds delayed, pushing against the high lord’s chest. 

Kageyama ignored him, as he took a step forward to close the gap Hinata just managed to place between them. “Hold still, idiot.” He clicked his tongue. “You need this to be more convincing, some might be able to see through your glamour.”

“But you said it’s convincing enough, even Noya thinks so too!” Hinata complained, though he didn’t push the high lord away anymore. 

“I said some might.” Kageyama says as he finished scenting the omega. “Now it’s even more convincing.”

Hinata brought his arm up to his nose. Kageyama’s familiar scent wafted through his nostrils, the scent intoxicating, the scent of an alpha. “So can I go now?” He asked and Kageyama nodded as he let him go.

“Don’t stay out too late!” Kageyama called as he sprinted out of the door but he was too giddy to spare him a glance. We weren't sure if it’s because he’s about to spend the rest of the day at the spring carnival for the first time in his life or because of the idea of Kageyama scenting him, an action he never saw coming. 

  
  


It was a festival of lights, an explosion of colour and pure excitement. Playful music filled the air, mixing in with the delicious aroma of food originating from different kinds of stalls. There were some performers gathered across the street, all wearing festive costumes as their bodies swayed along with the music. Trees clothed in pink and white blossoms lined the streets, several petals falling like confetti for every rustle of the fresh spring breeze.

Yamaguchi and Noya sandwiched him in the middle, which he was thankful for the gesture considering he almost got knocked over twice already since their arrival. The crowd was a mix of fae and non-fae alike, all looked quite intimidating to him at first glance.

They reached the area past the food stalls, the crowd much more thinner at this part of the street. They made their way towards the direction of the stall Noya was pointing at. It looks like a stall that sells hand-made weapons, ones which looked too expensive to be sold at a festival stall. As they got closer towards the stall, Hinata observed the majority of them were gold, some, and not too many were silver. 

Hinata fell a few steps behind the two. He was too distracted eyeing the rest of the stalls to notice someone coming fast towards his direction. One minute he was standing, the next he was lying on his back against the ground. He groaned at the numbing pain he felt below his waist, not too painful enough to consider as an injury but enough to make him bite his tongue to stop himself from groaning in agony.

“Shit.” 

He turned his head to the side, not too far from where he lay was another cloaked figure. His hood was pulled over his head, preventing Hinata from seeing the rest of his face. Before he could react, the man -- he figured through the deep, masculine voice, was already scurrying up in a hurried pace. Hinata arched his neck to get a glimpse of the man as he sprinted towards the end of the street. And then he was gone. He didn’t realise Yamaguchi and Noya were already at his side, both frantic with worry. 

“Shoyo! Are you hurt?!” Noya asked with a volume as loud as the trumpets. He whipped his head around, frantically searching for the perpetrator. “Where did that asshole go?! Should I go after him?!”

Yamaguchi’s palm landed rather violently at the back of his head. “Don’t even think about it.” He warned through his gritted teeth, fixing the smaller omega with a stern look which screams of so much similarity with a specific grey-haired omega. He turned towards Hinata who was still lying on the ground, reaching forwards to help him up. “Are you okay?” He asked, his demeanor changing in a blink of an eye.

Hinata pushed himself up, taking Yamaguchi’s outstretched hand as he stood. He hissed at the sting he felt just below his elbow, it looks like he managed to get himself a scab, but other than that he feels fine. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He says.

He was dusting his cloak with Noya helping him reach the back when something suddenly caught his eye. In the middle of the path, was a shining spherical object. “What is that?” He pointed, before the others could ask him what he was talking about, he was already making his way towards it, bending down to pick it up. The crystal sphere was just big enough to fit perfectly on his palm. 

“What do we do with it?” Noya asked after they examined it.

“I’ll hold on to it.” Hinata quickly replied, slipping the crystal ball into his pocket. Something tells him the crystal is not as simple as it looks, he might have to get Suga to have a look at it later.

The three of them continued to check out the rest of the stalls, this time without any other incidents.

* * *

“How was the festival? Did you enjoy yourself?” Suga asked as he took the vacant space beside Hinata, handing him a glass of drink, which Hinata hoped isn’t alcoholic. 

He took a careful sip, satisfied to have tasted juice instead of liquor. “Yeah, it was nice. I’ve never seen so much cherry blossom lining up the street.”

“Do you not have it back home?”  _ Home _ , Hinata isn’t sure if he’s still meant to call it that. 

“Not really.” Hinata replied, taking another mouthful of his sweet drink and then another. “Not where I lived anyway. I’ve never been to any place else.”

Suga hummed as he watched Noya and Tanaka pestering Daichi for a round of arm wrestling. “You were lucky then. You get to see them at their peak. They usually just last for a couple of days you see, two weeks at most.”

“You mean they’ll be gone in two weeks?” 

Suga nodded, “They take a while to bloom, but they can only last for a fleeting moment before they’re gone for another year.” 

“That’s too bad.” Hinata said. “Won’t magic make them last for longer?”

“I think their shorter lifespan is a part of their charm.” Suga smiled. “It makes you appreciate them more, makes you anticipate when they’re going to bloom again.”

Hinata tapped a finger against the rim of the glass, thinking about what’s going to happen a year after. Would he still be here? Will he get another chance to see the cherry blossoms at their peak again?

“They symbolise the impermanence of beauty.” Suga continued the conversation. “It tells us that nothing lasts forever. That includes the good as well as the bad. But it also symbolises hope, a way to yearn for new beginnings which were still about to come.” 

“No fair! I propose a rematch!” 

Across from where they sat, Noya exclaimed while pointing a finger at Tsukki’s direction.

“My turn!” Tanaka shoved Noya aside, earning a scoff and a scornful eye roll from the blonde. 

“You two just don’t know when to give up.” He says. “But if you really enjoy losing, then by all means.”

But Noya was already up and bouncing, fists waving above his head to challenge Tanaka in a sparring match to see who gets to arm wrestle the alpha next.

“Oh yeah? Bring it on!”

“I better go and calm those idiots down before this escalates into something else.” Suga says with an exasperated sigh as he excused himself. 

Hinata scanned the rest of the group. Yamaguchi is engaging in a light conversation with Asahi as Dachi leaves to assist Suga with the chaotic bunch. Hinata revelled at the sight of them, how they act and treat each other as family. Growing up, he never got the chance to witness such sights. He was glad that at least for once in his lifetime, he was able to be a part of something like it. 

His eyes circled around the area, only noticing how there had been no signs of the high lord ever since they came back from the festival. 

He felt a weight inside his pocket, he slipped his hand inside and realised he had forgotten about asking Suga about the spherical glass he found earlier. He took it out and examined it just as he did before. Maybe it’s nothing special, just a piece of glass ball that stranger somehow dropped during their collection. That person didn’t even bother to come back for it, so it must not be anything of importance. But what if it is? What if he just hadn’t realised it’s gone?

Hinata got up from his seat and started his way back towards the manor. He could at least make sure he won’t lose it.

“Hinata, where are you going?” Yamaguchi looked up just as he was about to leave. 

He gestured at the glass ball in his hand and said, “I’ll just put this in my room just in case I’ll drop it here. I’ll be right back.” 

* * *

Hinata ran up the stairs leading up towards his room. The lights were a bit dim since everybody is outside and maybe he shouldn’t be running for it would only guarantee him face planting the hard concrete floor. He only managed to trip on one of the receding steps once.

He paused in front of his door for a few seconds trying to catch his breath. Then he heard a sound of a door opening, the creak echoed along the dim empty hall. The hairs on his nape stood in alert, he spun too quick, too fast but there was no one there.

“Kageyama?” He called but there was no answer, just pure silence. If there’s someone else inside the manor, then it should be Kageyama. Unless…

He quickly grabbed the door handle and pushed his way inside his room, slamming the door at his wake. He rested his back against the wood, closing his eyes momentarily to calm his racing heart beat. 

Faint voices of his friends slipped through his open window, it somehow reassured him that he was safe and that there was no intruder who managed to slip through inside the manor without them noticing. 

Feeling jumpy, he walked towards his bedside table and flicked the lights on, yanking the top drawer to place the glass ball inside.

A quick gust of breeze came into his wide open window, causing the curtains to flutter violently and cause some of the paper on his desk to ruffle. Hinata jumped, resulting in his back to hit the corner of the bedside table and for the glass ball to roll towards the corner of the room. 

Suddenly, blue light exploded in a blinding flash. Hinata toppled backwards, landing rather violently on his bed as he shielded his eyes. It lasted for one...two...three...four seconds. Hinata didn’t dare remove his arm away until he was sure the light had dissipated. 

Cold breeze blew past, Hinata shivered at each blow of air that touched his skin. He took a peek, still keeping one of his eyes closed for good measure. 

What he saw in front of him made him stagger back further into the bed, he gripped the edges of the mattress tightly when he got to the edge and was about to fall off. 

In front of him is a circular vortex. It mimicked a concealed body mirror, reaching from the floor and almost brushing up to the ceiling. The centre is of nothing, just plain black emptiness while swirls of blue smoke-like arms spun around it in a spiral. 

There is nothing friendly how the wind howled, the hollow wind is changing its intensity every few seconds. It was a sound that’s not so foreign, in fact it sounded so familiar.

It was the sound of winter, a mix of heavy wind and bitter snow fall. Hinata can almost imagine specs of white falling from the sky, covering the fields in thick blankets and leaving no footprints behind. 

There might come a day where his curiosity would be the reason for his downfall. He waited for a couple minutes to see if it closes and if something or someone would emerge from it. But none of those two things happened. Still, he waited for a couple minutes more.

When the time was up, he made his way towards his closet. Inside of it were his limited amount of clothing, all supplied by both Yamaguchi and Suga. He grabbed his old winter coat and threw it over his shoulder, maneuvering both his arms through the arm holes. 

After he was fully dressed, he slowly made his way towards the vortex. He thought of leaving a note to say where he went just in case someone would come looking for him. He quickly ran towards his drawer and scribbled a short note, leaving enough details for whoever gets to read it later. 

He grabbed a book at the foot of his bed and stuck it into the vortex. He pulled it out and thoroughly examined it, he was pleased to see there weren’t any damages. Slowly, he lifted his hand up. At first he pushed his pointer finger through, then his whole hand and then his whole arm. 

He pulled his hand back. There were a couple specs of fresh fallen snow resting on the fabric of his sleeve. 

“I won’t stay long. I’m just going to check it out then I’ll quickly come back.” He nodded to himself. 

And then he leaped, through the centre and into the vortex. For a few seconds he was just swallowed up by nothingness, there was no snow, no blizzard. 

  
  


And then he started falling.  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you guys so much for the support. Pls continue to voice out your thoughts about this fic. It gives me an idea of how I did (as the author) and what else I should include in the following chapters. 
> 
> I really appreciated all the kind words ya'll left in the previous chapter. It really encouraged me and hyped me up real good! I'll take advantage of this break and try to write more frequently. So watch out for that!
> 
> That's all for now. Hopefully I can come up with ideas for the next chapter soon bc I'm quite excited for everything to come into play. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading!! 
> 
> p.s. You can reach me via twitter @bb_sunshineee


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the responses I got from the previous chapter was amazing! Thank you guys so much for leaving comments and questions! It really makes me so happy to know you guys are as into this fic as I am :) 
> 
> Also big thanks to those who left some kudos, bookmarked this fic and to those who subscribed (If you haven't yet, then go ahead and click that subscribe button to get notifs when I update). 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this update! Enjoy reading! xx

“It’s the most celebrated day in your court. What would your subjects feel about their high lord abandoning them in a time of such?” 

“Riling him up won’t do you good as well, Bokuto-san.” 

The high lord of the winter court turned his head over to look at his advisor, looking utterly betrayed. “Why do you always pick their sides Akaashi?” He whined, eyebrows scrunched up in a frown, an invisible tear about to roll down his cheeks. 

The black haired omega just ignored him, for he is already used to the sudden mood swings and tantrums which are easily up to par if compared to a child’s, promising he’ll deal with him later. Instead he eyed the high lord of the spring court sitting across from where he sat. “I understand why you came here yourself, though I should tell you it’s quite unnecessary. We could have discussed this in a different time, so why now?” He asked, the dejected high lord perked up after hearing Akaashi share his own dilemma. 

“They deserve to unwind every once in a while.” Kageyama explains, his mind thinking about the lively celebration that is currently happening in his backyard as they speak. 

“We’ve been getting nothing during our own investigations. For days in a row, our scouts have returned empty handed.” Akaashi started. “I’m sure you are also concerned as to why.”

Kageyama nodded his confirmation. “That is why I came here. They have been eerily silent for quite a while now, the looting and rebel attacks suddenly ceased. I’m relieved that my people finally have some peace. But somehow it worries me, it’s hard to determine what they are up to next.”

“So what’s your plan?” 

“I’m afraid that’s a part of the reason why I came here. I have none.” Kageyama admits. “Not without raising the risks even further.”

“You know the seasonal courts are in this together. Have you spoken to your brother?” Akaashi asked, noting how Kageyama’s mood suddenly changed. He simply kept his indifferent expression and observed the young high lord clench and unclench his fist.

Kageyama gently placed his hand on the surface of the table, fingers lightly tapping in an anxious rhythm. “I might go to him if I’ve lost all other options. He’s as unreadable as Suseri.” 

Akaashi hummed and shifted his gaze towards his high lord. “What do you think, Bokuto-san?”

Bokuto straightened up after he was addressed, eager to finally join into the conversation. “I will have the scouts continue their search and I will increase their numbers if I have to. It might be too early, but we should prepare ourselves as if we are preparing for war.”

“How do you think we should do that?” Kageyama asked.

“I think we should discuss this with Kuroo and Oikawa around.” He says, carefully eyeing Kageyama. When he didn’t get a reaction he continued. “It’s been so long since we held a council, but I see no better time than now. Should we say a week from today?”

“A lot can happen within a week, Bokuto-san.” Akaasi says but Kageyama cut him off. 

“We’ll be here. It’ll give me time to prepare my men for my absence.” He says, knowing the duration of the council might take a few days at most. “It would also give us time to brainstorm possible ways on how to address this.”

Bokuto nodded in approval. “I will send them the invitation.”

“Thank you.” Kageyama said as he rose from his seat. “I shall go. I haven’t told them I was coming here, except for Daichi.”

“Better leave now then. I don’t want stray wolves sniffing near my territory thinking I’ve kidnapped you.” Bokuto said, a playful smirk on his face.

Kageyama rolled his eyes before he winnowed.

Akaashi sighed and slumped back on his seat, carefully massaging his forehead. “Just as we thought we finally had a break.” He muttered to himself. 

“We always knew that this would happen.” Bokuto said as he stood, raising his arms up to a stretch. Something in his shoulder clicked. “Ow, I think I hurt myself Akaashi!”

“You simply popped a joint Bokuto-san.” Akaashi replied, not even looking at his direction as he gathered the sheets on the table. “Shall we head out and observe the trainees? Konoha said he changed their regimen.”

Bokuto pouted for the lack of attention he got from his adviser. But before he could accuse Akaashi of neglect, the door to the meeting room suddenly opened and one of the soldiers walked in slightly out of breath. 

“Bokuto-san, Akaashi-san, you need to come outside.” The soldier informed them in a hurry. “The scouts found an unidentified body near the woods and the boy is in need of medical attention.”

Akaashi glanced at Bokuto and then back to the soldier. “Take us to him.”

* * *

“Suga-san,” Yamaguchi tapped the white-haired omega at the back to get his attention. His mind is racing, desperately trying to reason why Hinata hasn’t come back yet. At the back of his mind, he knows Hinata isn’t in danger. They would have sensed it if he were, the alphas in the pack won’t let even the most harmless intruder go past their noses and yet, his instincts still tell him otherwise.

Suga turned around, looking ever so exhausted after he had to deal with the trouble-maker duo. “What is it?” He asked, his signature smile still plastered on his face, though now it looked more like he’s cringing. 

“I’m worried about Hinata,” This caught the older omega’s attention, immediately scanning the group in search for one specific red haired, noting he is nowhere to be found. “He went back to the manor you see, but he still hasn't come back.”

“How long has it been?” He asked, now alert. Sensing his distress, Daichi walked over to join the two. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, looking at both omegas. 

Suga placed a hand on his arm, telling him everything is fine. The last thing they want is to worry the rest of the group. “Yamaguchi and I need to check something inside.” He said and immediately grabbed the other omega’s wrist, dragging him towards the direction of the manor. 

“What’s up with them?” Tsukki asked as he stood next to the captain, both alphas staring at the back of the two omegas who were hurriedly making their way towards the manor. 

“Oi, Kei! Come back here! You can’t escape us!” 

The blonde whirled around and glared at the source. “Don’t call me that.” He snarled.

Daichi chuckled to himself and patted the younger alpha’s back. As Tsukki stomped his way back to the group, Daichi turned to look at where Suga and Yamaguchi had been, concern slowly starting to build up in his chest. 

* * *

After following Hinata’s scent, Suga and Yamaguchi found themselves standing outside Hinata’s bedroom. They knocked a few times, even called for Hinata but no one answered, they couldn’t even hear a sound. 

“Is he asleep?” Yamaguchi whispered as he pressed his ear flat on Hinata’s bedroom door. He looked at his senior and noticed how serious his face looked, as if his mind was running for a mile per second. 

Grabbing the door handle, Suga pushed the bedroom door open, Yamaguchi gasping beside him for the rude intrusion. He stormed inside, taking note of the wide open window and the mess of paper littered all over Hinata’s floor. There was no sign of Hinata anywhere, but there was no foreign scent inside as well. If he wasn’t abducted then where did he go?

“Why is it so messy in here?” Yamaguchi mumbled to himself as they searched the place. For what, none of them knew for sure. They are merely following their hunter’s instincts, taking extra precaution of anything that’s out of place. 

There should be no mistake that Hinata had been in the bedroom not too long ago judging by how strong his scent is. At the corner of his eye, Suga saw something glint behind the shadows. Bending to pick it up, he says, “How come he has one of these?”

“Oh, that?” Yamaguchi replied. “Hinata found it earlier. We think it’s from that stranger who accidentally ran him over.”

Suga’s eyes darkened and Yamaguchi was smart enough to keep his mouth shut and wait for his orders that were about to come.

“Get me Daichi. Try not to alert the others.”

Yamaguchi nodded and hurriedly ran for the door. Suga returned to the crystal ball, eyeing it carefully to determine which court it had come from. 

It wasn’t long until the alpha slipped through the slightly cracked bedroom door, alone. “I told him to stay. Tsukki is slowly starting to get suspicious. I figured you don’t want the others to know.” He explained after seeing the question beneath Suga’s expression. 

Suga sighed and nodded his thanks, raising the crystal to show Daichi. “We couldn’t find Hinata and we found this here.”

Daichi eyed the crystal. “It’s...what is it?” He asked.

“It’s a type of an orbuculum. This one however, is not meant for fortune telling.” Suga let the ball drop. A blinding flash of light suddenly erupted and illuminated the room. He heard Daichi stagger back in surprise, turning around he said, “Sorry.”

“What the hell?” Was all Daichi could manage.

“As I was saying,” Suga continued. “This is an orbuculum or in layman’s term, a crystal ball. Fortune tellers and witches alike use this for the purpose of clairvoyance and means to determine one’s fortune. These usually come in bigger spheres, but this one, given its smaller size, is used for transportation.”

“Are you saying Hinata’s--”

“Gone and used this to teleport himself who knows where.” Suga cut him off. “Daichi, this is bad, he could be in enemy territory for all we know.”

“We’ll find him. I’ll rally the guys and we’ll head out to sniff him out.” Daichi says, already about to leave. But Suga grabbed his sleeve, halting his movements. 

“You can’t.” Shaking his head as he tells the alpha. “Wherever he went should be miles and miles away from here. And you can’t use his scent to track him down, it doesn’t work like that.” Daichi turned around to face him as he continued speaking. “We need to determine where the ball came from. Then we can determine where this could be leading to.”

“How?” 

“You can usually tell them apart depending on which court they were forged.” Suga explained. “However, I’ve only seen one that came from here. I have no idea what the others should look like and this one doesn’t have anything on it. If only there were some sort of emblem or mark, but this one is just plain crystal.”

Daichi nodded in agreement, sighing as he took both the omega’s hands in his. “Okay, alright. We’ll do everything we can. Just tell us what to do.”

  
  


* * *

Kageyama found Daichi and Suga in his study, both seemed to be in some serious discussion before he arrived. He slowly made his way to the two, “What are you two doing in here?” 

Both exchanged glances, but it was Daichi who spoke first. “We were discussing...about something. How did your trip go?”

He knew Daichi was stalling, but he answered him anyway. Suga followed his movements as he crossed the room to shrug off his cloak. “I’m going back in a week. Bokuto wants a council.”

“I see.” Daichi nodded.

He sighed and crossed his arms. “What is it? I know there’s something else you want to tell me.”

“Hinata’s gone. In his bedroom. Sometime during the—”

He didn’t let the senior alpha finish his sentence. He immediately yanked the door open and sprinted towards Hinata’s bedroom, his blood burning with fury and rage. 

The omega’s room is a mess, a faint residue of his scent still lingered in the air. He took a big inhale in an attempt to calm his inner alpha. 

Daichi bursted through the door, Suga right behind him. “Kageyama, I need you to calm down—”

“Who took him.” He growled, fists tightly clenched at his sides. He knew he’s already on the verge of shifting. “Tell me.”

He turned around to see Daichi in a stance, ready to defend Suga in case Kageyama loses control. “He wasn’t taken, I can assure you that.” He reached a hand behind him, Suga taking the hint and immediately placed the sphere on his hand. “We believe he accidentally used this to transport himself somewhere. We still don’t know where he went.”

“We might get a clue where he went as long as we can figure out where this came from.” Suga explained, still bowing his head submissively and still couldn’t bring himself to look at Kageyama. “I’m sorry I let him out of my sight, Kageyama.”

He won’t tell them it’s fine because it’s not. Hinata is out there on his own without any means of protection. But he knows it wasn’t anybody’s fault. For the short amount of time Hinata had stayed with them, he can guarantee that even the indifferent Tsukkishima cares for the omega and none of his pack would purposely put Hinata in harm’s way. “I’ll send word to the other courts.” He said, hoping Hinata didn’t somehow end up in the night court. “For now do whatever you can to find where he is. Get Tsukki and Asahi but try to keep this away from the others for now. Just until we know where exactly he is.”

“Yamaguchi already knows.” Suga told him. “But I’m sure he’ll be discreet, it seems he hasn’t told anyone even Tsukki.” 

“Get them in here as soon as they’re done with the celebration.” Kageyama instructs. If they slip out now, the others will definitely notice and know something is wrong. He needs his pack undistracted, especially at times like these. It’s best to keep the omegas out of it until they know which steps to take. Who knows how they will react knowing one of theirs may be in harm’s way. 

“Are you sure?” Daichi asked. “I can get them to come up right now.”

“Pass the word to them, but don’t let them come up until then.” 

“Understood.” 

  
  


* * *

“What’s the boy’s status?” Akaashi asked as they made their way towards the infirmary. One of the scouts handed him the chart. He scanned it quickly, brushing along words he already knew would be there - Slowed breathing... Loss of consciousness… Fever? He raised a brow at the last section, “Did you make a mistake?”

“No sir.” The scout shook his head. “We found him frozen cold and unconscious indicating he had been lying there for quite a while, but somehow his core temperature remained the same. We checked it multiple times with different equipment, they all gave us the same results.”

Akaashi hummed, handing back the chart to the scout. “Interesting.”

“There’s also something else sir.” The scout added, just as they were about to round the corner to where the patient is awaiting them. “But it’s best if you take a look for yourselves.”

They pushed the door open and were welcomed by a bright mop of orange hair. It perfectly stood out from all the pristine white interior of the infirmary, like fire in the middle of a snowstorm. The boy is lying still and small on one of the infirmary beds, several wires are attached to both his arms, his shirt is cut in the middle, exposing his pale white complexion. Akaashi knew the discolouration of his skin had a lot to do with long term exposure to the cold. Not only that, this boy is—

“Human.” Bokuto murmured beside him, slowly examining the boy with his equally skilled eyes. “Where did you find him?”

“He was found near the frozen lake sir.” One of the scouts answered. “We have no idea how he made it past our guards, no tracks around him either. It’s almost as if he just appeared out of thin air.”

“What do you want me to do Bokuto-san?” Akaashi turned to ask the high lord, even though he already knew what Bokuto would say.

“I’ll leave him to you Akaashi.” The high lord said as he turned around to leave. He looked at his scouts, “Don’t let him out of your sight. If anything happens report to me immediately.”

Akaashi stared at his high lord as he exited the infirmary. Something tells him Bokuto is up to something. He looked at the boy, there is definitely something about him which he can’t point out just yet. In any case, they need to revive him, and fast. If they want answers, they need the boy alive.

* * *

Tsukki unmounted his horse and made his way up the stairs. Standing at the door and waiting for him was the high lord’s mate and chief strategist, a bored expression on his face. Kenma’s eyes followed him until he reached the top of the stairs, his cat-like eyes watching his every move.

“Kei.” The omega said in greeting, his indifference almost a match to Tsukki. “What brings you here?”

Tsukki bowed his head in a greeting, respecting the difference in their ranks despite being an alpha. “I need to speak with Kuroo. Kageyama sent me.”

Kenma narrowed his eyes at him before nodding his head. “He’s currently out on a ride. Is it urgent?” He asked as he ushered the alpha inside and into the main room.

“I can wait.” Tsukki said, taking the seat Kenma had offered him. 

“May I know what this is about?” 

Tsukki sees no point in keeping it away from Kenma. Besides, the information he brings doesn’t require utter secrecy and even if he does keep it to himself, it would still be useless as Kuroo will surely let Kenma in on this before making any decision. 

“My high lord sent me to spread the word about our missing...companion.” He said. “He disappeared quite recently and we believe he might have ended up in one of the courts.”

“The human? Are you sure he wasn’t abducted?”

Tsukki shook his head no. “It doesn’t seem to be the case. However, we do not know if he is in danger or not.”

Kenma threaded his fingers and leaned forward. “I hope your high lord realises how serious this situation is, not only for him but for all of us. It is obvious he has taken a liking to the human.” 

“What are you saying?”

“Kageyama had always been formidable but now he has found his achille’s heel. If he falls because of this then we all suffer the consequences.” Kenma returned Tsukki’s intense stare. “I do not necessarily care for the human but I’ll see to it that he will be returned unharmed if ever we find him in our jurisdiction.”

* * *

“Are you sure about this Kageyama? I know for a fact that you would rather be out there than here.” Suga said. He knows how anxious and agitated the alpha is. Hinata’s sudden disappearance seems to be eating him out and he understands quite well as to why that is. However, he also knows how stubborn the high lord can be. “You know we can handle it from here.”

“I need plans. We only have a few days left until the council and we can’t waste any more time than we already have.” He replies without conviction and it did not go unnoticed to the rest of the members of his pack. If they had noticed, they chose to ignore it instead. Sighing, he pointed towards the laid out map in front of him, the others following where he was pointing at. “This is where the last attack took place, after that we lost track of them. It is possible they have made their way here,” He dragged his finger further down south, through the mountain pass and across the great river. “And took refuge behind the mountains.”

“That part is inhabited, everybody treats that almost as a wasteland even the rebels.” Tanaka said. “No one can survive there.”

“If you don’t have access to resources or have a strong manpower.” Yamaguchi countered. “If what we believe is true, that they are under the safety net of Suseri, then they might just be able to pull it off. We always had an inkling she created her hideout under the mountain.”

“We need more information to form a thorough plan. We can’t look at this from our viewpoint only.” Suga sighed, leaning back into his chair, eyeing the rest of the omegas who somehow managed to weasel their way into what was supposed to be a secret meeting. Each of them squirmed under his reprimanding gaze. When his eyes found Yamaguchi, the younger omega looked away as if the wall ornament was much more interesting to look at. So that was it, his apprentice must have babbled to the others. Either that, or they forced it out on him, which is also most likely, considering how easily the omega can yield submissively even towards his fellow omegas. “What else did they tell you, Kageyama?” He added, bringing his focus back towards the high lord.

“Not much. They’re mostly in the same situation as us. Which is why we decided on a council meeting.” Kageyama said, tapping his fingers against the desk impatiently. Suga can’t tell whether it’s about the upcoming council, and the idea of seeing his brother again or Hinata’s disappearance that’s bothering him. It could be both. 

“Should we really be doing this now?” Noya said, voicing his opinion for the first time since they gathered. “It’s pointless. You said so yourself we don’t have enough information to be discussing this. You know we can’t decide on anything until the others get here.” Tanaka made the effort of kicking him under the table, giving him a warning glance. They all know the meeting is more or less a distraction to keep the high lord’s mind away from going berserk.

Before the situation could get even worse, Suga pushed his chair away as he got up from his seat. “You’re all dismissed. I need to have a minute alone with Kageyama.” He said, ignoring the looks of protest thrown in his way. Sighing he added, “I promise I’ll tell you everything we know once the others come back.”

The omegas filed towards the door, with Noya hesitating just as he was about to exit. “You know he’s already one of us, so you can’t blame us if we want in on this. We care about him as much as you do.” He said over his shoulder before leaving.

Turning towards the high lord, he says, “You need to calm down, Kageyama. They can sense how you feel and it channels towards their own emotions. They are already anxious enough.” He sighed.

Kageyama was quiet for a few beats, staring into nothing. When he spoke, his voice was low and calculated, barely keeping his voice from shaking. “I want to tear the whole place down, search the whole kingdom by myself from upside down. Why am I feeling like this?”

Suga sat back on his seat. “Only you can find the answer to that question Kageyama.” He sighed. “But that’s your whole nature isn't it? You can’t stand it if one of us gets into trouble or if we get hurt. We have to acknowledge the fact that Hinata had somehow managed to find his place within the pack. Human or not, he’s one of us.”

Is that really all there is to it? No, there’s more to it than that, Kageyama thought. Although he gets the feeling that he doesn’t need to say that to the older omega. He sees it through their actions, how they don’t let themselves get in too close with Hinata, how they limit themselves if ever they touch or speak to him. It was barely there, but he noticed. Everybody somehow managed to draw themselves a line, one that they would never cross. Because it was an unwritten rule, within a pack and within comrades, that once an omega had been claimed, none of them should even try to approach that same omega with the same intent. He knew he couldn’t deny it any longer.

But he will hold himself back, he already decided ever since he first laid eyes on Hinata. To keep his distance is to avoid getting burned. Hinata is a flame not meant to be tamed. What he feels in his heavy chest will be kept to himself. If this all ends, he’d have to let Hinata go. Back to the mortal world, to his home, to where he belongs. 

All he can do for now is to ensure he stays safe until then. What else is there to give?

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A drizzle of sad vibes and honesty from our precious Kageyama right there at the end hehehe I need thoughts about this chapter so pls don't hesitate to leave a comment if you want to. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bit shorter than the previous ones...but this is a Kageyama-centric chapter + a tbsp of angst.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

Humans and Fae-folk alike exist in a hierarchy. Every living thing is subjected to their natural instincts. For humans, their inner beings are easier to control. For generations after generations, this animalistic trait has become more recessive; for humans tend to favour the mind over natural tendencies. They can will their inner self into submission, unlike the Fae-folk who were more subjected to their predisposition. 

Be that the case, there are still times where this becomes too overpowering and thus impossible to control. It may be driven by many different ways, rapid change in emotions being the top cause. 

It is only natural for alphas to be more domineering. Their very nature forces them to crave for control and assert power. Their pheromones alone can subject anyone that belongs under the sub category, the omegas and betas. Because of this, alphas can become great leaders. They are cool minded and may come off as indifferent at times. However, the most susceptible ones were the omegas.

Through time, omegas were viewed as the most submissive kind. As compared to alphas, omegas are meeker, more sensitive towards their peers and have naturally good nurturing instincts. However, omegas are quite unique on their own. Their physical strength may not be up to par to those who were born alphas and betas, but they can also be as powerful as them without the assertion of dominance. 

Many years ago, societies started to fear for omegas. They can be cunning in their own way and smart if they need to be. They are great analysts and naturally gifted strategists. They are bold and freethinkers. Most are high rung with their own ambitions and strong desire to be uncaged of the society’s belief that omegas are only built for producing offsprings and nothing more. 

It is popular knowledge that alphas and omegas can form bonds, ones which are way stronger if either one is bonded to that of a beta. The ones who were spoken for may leave permanent marks on their significant other’s skin, a proof of claim or dominance. Once the bond has been created, the two can no longer become separated. The moment the bond is sealed, their souls would become intertwined, their scents mixing with each other to signal others that they were bonded. 

But there is another form of connection, one that is rarer and much stronger than a normal bond. This connection can only exist between two individuals who are so-called, true-mates. Ones who were tied to each other by birth, even prior to their first encounter. These cases are quite rare, which makes it hard to identify since there is only a limited amount of knowledge set aside in transcripts and books. 

Because of this deep-routed connection, true mates cannot be without each other under any kind of circumstances. No matter where they are or how far apart they are, they will always be pulled towards each other, as if their souls are made the same and are anchored together in an invisible force. 

This form of connection is hard to determine, but it has been said that once both individuals meet, they would know. 

Kageyama was never a big fan of fairy tales, and stories about fates and destiny. To him, it was all a load of crap. That was, until the day he stumbled upon one that is named Hinata Shoyo, who was, in all aspects of him, an embodiment of a sun. His first encounter with the omega was a bit ironic. Who knew he would stumble upon such an individual in the middle of a snowstorm. Or more accurately, after one. 

Funnily enough, Kageyama wasn’t aware how cold and how empty his whole existence had been. The moment his eyes landed on the curled-up omega surrounded by mountains of snow that one fateful day, he instantly knew, in the most clichiest way possible. Suga wasn’t that far behind to notice, though the older omega may have been seeing only half of the whole picture. The grey-haired omega may have been suspicious ever since the first encounter due to their scents being too similar to each other. But Kageyama doubts that Suga had already pieced two and two together. The omega believes there’s something more to it, something else about Hinata that could explain why he carries that specific scent.

If things were perfect and if he came home a bit more earlier that day of Hinata’s disappearance, then things would be a bit more different. They would be strolling around the manor grounds right now, Hinata walking by his side gushing about how his morning archery practice with Noya went or how the sun looks lovelier that day. Then he could freely stare at the omega while he talked animatedly or secretly inhale the sweet scent he would be emitting due to his excitement and enthusiasm.

Daichi flicked his gaze towards the young high lord, who was currently looking down at the map spread in front of him, though it was quite obvious that his mind is somewhere else. If it were to him alone, he would gladly encourage the young alpha to search for the missing omega. But they had a summit to plan and a possible war to prepare for. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, Hinata’s disappearance isn’t quite the top priority at the moment. Despite all that, he is also immensely worried for the sake of the omega, who managed to worm his way into the pack’s good favour for the short time he had spent with them. He can only hope that wherever he is, he is safe and unharmed. 

It might be his imagination, but he could be closing his eyes and would still feel the distressed pheromones the alpha sitting across from him is emitting. Tsukishima was glad that none of the omegas were present. The change of behaviour had been bothering him for days. It’s borderline annoying. Moping didn’t suit the king well and as much as he wanted to tease the fellow alpha, he knew it wouldn’t end well. So he’d been keeping his mouth shut, letting the words of insults kept safely in his thoughts instead. The situation would be more bothersome if the king would finally snap. Who knows what he would do. But despite everything he still empathises with the alpha, though he would never admit that out loud. 

Being separated from your omega almost feels like death itself. The two idiots may have been courting each other for a while now without them realising it, and it had been painful to watch them pinning for each other blindly. At least, the king seems to be more away than the shrimp. The others have noticed the shift in their relationship too. Subconsciously, the others would try their best to keep their distance away from the orange-haired omega. Though there wasn’t a claim just yet, they knew that the king had already marked the omega as his. And they wouldn’t dare to challenge it, not even him for the sake of his amusement.

Kageyama’s thoughts were shaken when he felt as if he had been stared at. Looking up, he locked eyes with Daichi, then moved his gaze toward the blonde alpha, then down to the parchment in front of him. He racked his brain for clues as to what they were supposed to be talking about. Right -- they were talking about the possible blind spots to which the rebels could take advantage of if left unattended. At least, that’s what they had been talking about before he stopped listening and before his mind wandered towards somewhere else. 

He cleared his throat and turned to address the older alpha, knowing that Tsukishima wouldn’t miss the chance to tease him with what just happened. But before he could open his mouth to ask what topic they are on, daichi already beat him to it, answering the unspoken question that was obvious only with his face. “We were just discussing the current situation with the last village that was under attack. There weren’t many casualties, however there were a lot of damages and a few were injured.”

“How bad is the situation?” He asked.

“The recovery efforts are slow, mainly because they are short on supplies.” Daichi answered, slipping him a piece of paper with the list of what was needed. “I already informed Suga and he and Yamaguchi are now gathering everything that we need.”

“Do we need to ask for the Winter Court’s assistance?” 

“No need.” It was Tsukishima who answered this time. “They are only minor injuries. I’m sure Suga-san is capable enough to take care of it. But just in case we can’t handle it on our own, I already sent a message to inform them.”

“What of the routes? We still have to discuss--”

“That can wait for another day.” Daichi cut the young high lord off. “For now, why don’t we all take a break. It feels like we could use some fresh air.” He said, but Kageyama knew it’s mainly aimed at him. Now that his mind is up in the clouds, he can feel how stuffy the room had become due to his pheromones from earlier. 

Tsukishima made sure to send him a funny look before he followed the older alpha out of the door, leaving the high lord alone in silence. He felt more than relieved. It’s during times like these when he could finally close his eyes and revisit their mind-link. He made sure to check on it at least once a day, although he had been checking more than that recently. 

As expected, there was nothing there. Just a cold empty space, Hinata’s remnants missing, not even a sign that he had been there while Kageyama wasn’t checking. He could think of different reasons as to why he couldn’t connect with Hinata through their bond, majority of them he didn’t even want to acknowledge. Because for all the reasons he could think of, only two things made sense: Hinata could either be unconscious or worse, dead.

He snapped his eyes open as a cold shiver ran through his spine, his hands suddenly cold like ice. He knows that Hinata is still out there and is still alive. Though that didn’t ease him much, it helped knowing he hadn’t lost him completely just yet. He can feel it within him. 

With a sigh, Kageyama shot up to his seat. Despite enjoying the rare silence, he couldn’t afford to let his mind wander and think about different scenarios which would only further stirr him up. 

His feet brought him across the long hallway that led into the grand hall, climbing the stairs which will lead him to the upper floor. He was about to clear the last step when Suga popped his head from the study and called for his attention. Before he can ask what it is the grey-haired omega needed, he was already gone. Yelling for him to wait for a second as he went to get something. 

Suga came back with a tray of food, complete with a plate of pastries and a cup of freshly brewed tea. Kageyama reluctantly accepted it when the omega shoved it towards him, anticipating the refusal that was about to come if he didn’t do so. 

“I know you haven’t eaten yet. Daichi and Tsukki are already there. I figured you wouldn’t join us again this time.” Suga told him. 

Kageyama felt a bit guilty. The pack had respected the space he was continuously asking for even without saying anything. They are not taking it against him but he knew it’s starting to affect them too. So he tried his best to smile at them even if it’s forced. He tried to answer every question thrown at him with the best of his capability, that is if he had been listening and not zoning out. He tried to shove away how Noya’s face fell when he showed him a new model for a bow to add to his collection the other day. In his defence, it reminded him too much of Hinata. The worst one so far was when he took a powerful jab straight across his face for not paying attention while he was in the middle of a sparring match with Asahi.

He felt himself swallow as he gripped the metal tray securely in his hands, just in case it’ll slip past his fingers without him meaning too. “Thank you. I’ll bring this back later.” He said, averting his eyes as Suga studied him intensely. But thankfully, the omega didn’t say anything else. Opting to pat his shoulder instead before heading down and back to the study. 

Feeling guilty, he pushed the door to Hinata’s room open. It felt like he was intruding the omega’s personal space. The idea that the rest of the pack may have an idea where he usually disappears to sent a light blush to his face. Sighing, he kicked the door closed. 

His back connected to the cold, wooden door as he leaned for a while to roam his eyes around the room. A routine he developed to make sure nothing is out of place. He discarded the tray on top of Hinata’s desk and made his way towards the bed, sitting down on the edge. 

Silence swallowed him, the faint scent of the omega thin in the air, but still there. He knows this isn’t enough to calm his inner alpha. Above all the things he should be doing, the one thing he wanted to do most was to leave and go find the omega on his own. 

What is it that’s holding him back? Is it because of his duties as a high lord and leader of the pack? Maybe. But he knows the wolves are more than capable of dealing with everything even in his absence. Is it because he didn’t know where to look? That one was obvious. Despite their mind-link and despite being true mates, it would still take him forever to find HInata if he only relied on those things. There is no doubt that he would gladly spend the rest of his life looking for the lost omega if he has to, but him and his alpha are both impatient. 

He didn’t want to entertain the idea, but he knew that it was there. Somewhere in his mind, he knows that a part of him is afraid to find out whether Hinata wanted -- needed -- to stay by his side as badly as he does. It even looks like Hinata is unaware that they are both true mates. Without that recognition, Hinata will continue to be blinded with that fact. 

It was easier for him to realise as his second nature is more less-dampened as compared to Hinata’s who is a human. 

And it terrified him. Hinata’s influence on his whole being was far greater than he expected. For the short amount of time they shared together, he allowed himself to be swallowed up by the overwhelming warmth he felt everytime the omega was near and the idea that Hinata was meant to be his; and him, Hinata’s. 

A pure-blooded royal like him, born alpha, appointed High Lord of the Spring Court and one destined for the throne, wasn’t meant to bow down to anyone. But there is one thing he knows for sure: he would gladly strip off his robe, take off his crown and kneel on the ground for one who was named Hinata Shoyo, born human and not of higher birth. He would bow down to no one, apart for his destined mate -- his true omega. 

And if Hinata asks him to let him return to the mortal world, he would gladly obey.

Even if it meant eternal suffering. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels good to be back!! 
> 
> I'm sorry for being MIA for so long. Things happened and started piling up on top of each other. I took a short break and when I started writing again, I struggled a bit (or maybe more) to come up with ideas for this chapter. I did have other drafts (13 of them) which I wasn't really satisfied with. So they all just ended up in the reject folder lol.
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading this and for staying with me in this AU! I'm not planning on discontinuing this at all. But I may take a long time to update at times depending on circumstances. 
> 
> I really appreciate the support!!! <3 
> 
> Also, feel free to share your thoughts. Any form of criticism is welcomed, though please be gentle, alright? lels Drop down some comments or if you prefer, my twitter is @bb_sunshineee. Feel free to slip thru the dm's HAHA


	14. Chapter 14

The sound of firewood and the growing warm light were the first signs that they had arrived at their destination. Hinata looked at the side while he followed his escorts as they led him through a spacious hallway. Indeed, all his life he had seen a familiar sight. All his life, he had seen ice, snow and frost. But the land of Fae is incomparable to that on the mortal lands. It feels like he had just woken up and found himself in a fairytale. The window panes were dusted ivory white as soft cotton balls of snow continued to fall from the skies. The mountains at the farther distance are capped in white ice. The frozen river or lake beneath them glimmered under the hazy sun. It was a weird combination -- the shining sun and falling snow. But sights such as these can only be made possible within this realm. Something, a human like him can’t even try to justify. 

Before they could reach the arched entryway, they had to walk through another long hallway. The walls were made of clay bricks, torches lined up the wall, giving a soft, amber hue to the surroundings. If Hinata wasn’t surrounded by four escorts, all wearing thick armour with swords hanging at their sides, he would have ran and let himself sink into the lush cushioned couch which was placed right in the centre of the hall, facing a large floor-to-ceiling glass window. 

The man in front of him looked over his shoulder and nodded to the escorts, who nodded back their response before piling away one by one and dispersed back to where they came from. Hinata almost called out for them, to ask them where they’re going or if they could take him away with them. He would much rather be surrounded by three-heavily armoured men instead of being alone with this tall, white-haired brute that reminded him so much of a mountain polar bear. 

He gulped, blinking as he awaited for any instructions from the guy. He couldn’t decide whether he was relieved or worried when the man only turned around with a passive look on his face before knocking softly against the already open door. 

He could hear a soft, “Come in” before his escort moved to the side and gestured for him to continue to walk inside. Again, Hinata couldn’t decide if it’s the right time to make a run for it. 

Earlier that morning, he woke up with a jolt and one massive headache. His limbs felt heavier than usual and the panic he felt after realising he was in an unknown room was enough to let himself land back on the soft, duvet bed. Before he could come up with an escape plan, a maid entered the room. The lady’s eyes widened before she bolted out of the room. Not long after, a couple number of other people entered the room. They poked, asked if he was hurting anywhere, and made a fuss when he refused a towel bath. 

A white-robed man came in soon after, who Hinata assumed was some sort of doctor judging by the bag of medicinal herbs and other colourful liquids he carried in his bag. He asked a series of questions which Hinata can’t even remember how he answered them. He offered him an elixir, which he took rather doubtfully. His worries were replaced by awe and amazement when his body suddenly felt renewed only after a few minutes after he took the rather raunchy liquid. It’s amazing how the soreness of his muscles and the dull headache slowly faded away.

Hinata was more than relieved to receive all the treatment. Still, he can't afford to act complacent. All he knows is that he managed to teleport himself into another unknown place, got himself passed out buried in the snow and somehow slept through almost a full week. If there was anyone to blame it would be himself. He shouldn’t have gone through the portal on his own, especially without telling anyone. They must be worried sick for him, especially when half of the land is out to look for him. He can only hope he did not end up in enemy territory. He wants to think he didn’t, judging by how well they treated him upon his recovery. 

He halts when his eyes landed on the man sitting in front of a fancy-looking fireplace. He is obviously a Fae, with his pointed ears and pale, ivory skin. Hinata was aware how Faes tend to be beautiful by default but this man wore a face you might not ever forget whether you’ve seen him once or a thousand times. With the glow of the fireplace, he even looks more ethereal. 

“Thank you, Aone. You may leave us.” The man said, his voice soft and kind despite the passive look on his face. Hinata fidgeted with his hands, eyes dropping to his feet. He remembered Yamaguchi telling him once, that Faes of noble birth can be quite uptight and would not appreciate being stared at by low-borns. His heart started to thump on his chest. He would not be surprised if the man standing in front of him is one of noble birth, he would be surprised if he wasn’t. 

“How are you feeling? I apologise for not coming to see you personally, I had somewhere I needed to attend to earlier.” The man says. “Please, come.” He added, gesturing towards the couch. Hinata smiled nervously as he made himself walk towards it, eyes still not leaving the floor. 

“You do not have to be afraid. I can promise you that you will not be harmed by anyone who resides in this place.” he said, Hinata can feel his eyes lingering on him. “Why do you keep your head down?”

Hinata slowly lifted his head, swallowing the lump in his throat. “S-Sorry.” he squeaked, not intending for his voice to sound so high-pitched. His face flushed with warmth as he once again snapped his gaze back on his lap. 

“My name is Akaashi Keiji.” he says, extending his hand towards Hinata, who just nervously stared at it, unsure of whether or not he should take it. Akaashi withdrew with an amused expression, Hinata can only hope he wasn’t offended that he didn’t take his hand into his. “May I know your name?”

Hinata raised his head, seeing Akaashi’s eyes still fixed on him, sporting the same passive look on his face. “Hinata. Hinata Shoyo.” He said, sinking further into the warm, cushioned seat. 

“Hinata.” Akaashi repeated with a nod, as if testing Hinata’s name and how it should roll on his tongue. “Welcome to the Court of Frost. Here, drink this to warm you up.” He added before handing Hinata a cup of what looked like hot chocolate. Hinata’s mouth watered, not faltering a beat before he snatched it off from Akaashi’s extended hand. 

“Thanks.” Hinata murmured as he took a few small sips of his beverage, followed by bigger gulps. For a few seconds the heat from the liquid helped him feel full of something again. It wasn’t long until he finished all of it. He instantly felt himself relaxing and he couldn’t help but wonder if Akaashi had put something in it other than chocolate. “Uh, they said you needed to see me?”

“Yes.” Akaashi answered, cupping his own cup between both hands. “I apologize for the trouble. The truth is I don’t have that much time, which is why I asked for you to come see me instead of me coming to you.”

Hinata shook his head. “No, I don’t mind at all. I feel fine now actually.” He said, scrunching up his nose in confusion. 

“You were in a delicate place a few days ago. Are you aware how you ended up here?” Akaashi asked.

“They told me you guys found me while I was unconscious.” Hinata answered. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Of course. It is our duty to cure and provide care for anyone that needs it, whether that be a friend or foe.” Akaashi said, crossing a leg over another. Hinata can’t help but feel like he’s being interrogated. His nerves slowly returned as he sunk back under Akaashi’s intense gaze. “You’re an omega, am I correct?” Akaashi asked without batting an eye. To Hinata, it almost sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

“I-I am.” Hinata gulped, gripping the cup tightly between his hands. 

“I thought so. You were producing quite the amount of pheromones while you were asleep.”

“I’m sorry.” Hinata apologized, slightly feeling embarrassed about that fact. His hand absentmindedly reached for the necklace that lied low on his neck, seeking the familiar comfort. 

Akaashi’s eyes flickered towards his hand then back to his face, but didn’t say something about it. “Don’t apologise. Especially not to a fellow omega.”

Hinata looked at him, surprised. “You’re an omega too?” he asked, then panic slowly made its way towards his face as he realised he shouldn’t have asked that question so openly. “Sorry.” He muttered.

“Please, stop apologising.” Akaashi sighed then cocked his head towards the pendant Hinata held between his fingers. “That looks like an interesting amulet. You were holding on to it pretty tightly even while you were unconscious.”

Hinata looked down and swore that the pendant glowed under his gaze. “It’s quite important to me.”

“I can see that. May I ask where you got it from? The thing itself is oozing with magical aura. I doubt it came from the mortal lands.” Akaashi said. As he locked eyes with Akaashi, it felt like the truth was being squeezed out of him. He blinked and looked away as he felt his mind start to fog.

“It’s...a family heirloom.” Hinata gulped. He knew Akaashi could tell he’s lying. Anyone can probably do. 

Akaashi hummed, though he doubts he bought the lie. 

Someone knocks on the door, and Hinata could finally breathe as Akaashi looks away. “Yes?” He called and the door opened, revealing a man with a solid and muscular build, his eyes round and golden, and his hair is styled up in spikes of white-grey with certain black streaks. 

“Kaashi?” He called, stepping halfway in, leaving only his upper torso visible. When he saw Hinata his eyes slightly widened and a soft gasp escaped his mouth before he fully welcomed himself in. 

“Bokuto-san, I was about to head back soon. Why are you here?” Akaashi asked, which Bokuto only ignored. He instead made his way towards Hinata, strides proud and strong. He would have looked more intimidating if not for the visible grin plastered on his face.

Akaashi sighed and faced Hinata. “Bokuto-san, this is Hinata Shoyo. Hinata, this is Bokuto--” He introduced the two, waving between them to gesture to each individual. Hinata just stared at Bokuto as he walked towards them, until Akaashi added, “--High Lord of the Winter Court.”

Hinata quickly sprung to his feet, thanking the Gods his cup is now empty. He wouldn’t know what to do if he spilled hot chocolate on the valuable couch or carpet. He bowed, folding his body in a ninety-degree angle. 

Bokuto chuckled and feigned annoyance, crossing his arms across his chest as he squinted his eyes at the dark-haired man. “Look what you did now Akaashi. He didn’t need to know that.”

Hinata looked up when he felt a series of strong pats at his back. “It’s okay, kid. You don’t have to do all those courtesy things here.” Bokuto said with a proud grin, to which Hinata couldn’t help but return. His was slightly wobbly.

Bokuto dropped right next to Akaashi, muttering his thanks as he was handed his own cup. Hinata returned to his own seat, quietly studying the two and their exchange. It makes him wonder what their relationship is.

“Would you like some more Hinata?” Akaashi asked him and Hinata eagerly nodded, handing Akaashi his empty cup, muttering his thanks. 

“So, what have you guys been up to before I came?” Bokuto asked, eyeing the two. “I hope you weren’t trying to scare him ‘Kaashi.”

“We were just talking, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi sighed. “Did you try to sneak off again?”

“I tried and it was a success! Which is why I am here right now, right Hinata?” Bokuto asked. But before Hinata could say a reply, he already went back to explaining himself to Akaashi. “And they were talking about the boring stuff anyway. I needed to get out of there. It’s not like I was paying attention anyways.”

Akaashi clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed. Bokuto just sent him an innocent smile, slowly edging closer to the dark-haired man. Akaashi was quick to push him away, turning towards Hinata with the same passive look as before. 

“I apologise for his behaviour.” He said. 

Hinata just shook his head repeatedly. “No, no. Don’t worry about me.”

“Anyways, I was meant to ask you something before we got interrupted.” Akaashi said, clearly talking about Bokuto. “Do you remember anything before you lost consciousness?”

Hinata paused, confused why Akaashi was asking such a question. “Yes, I think so.”

“What do you remember?” Akaashi asked, but tried again when Hinata didn’t answer. “Can you tell us where you came from? And how did you even cross the boundary between the mortal and the Fae realm?” 

This caught Bokuto’s attention.

Hinata pondered whether it’s okay to reveal his identity. But Bokuto is the High Lord, which means Kageyama and the others must know who he is. However, it still doesn’t change the fact that these two are still strangers to him. It might be safe to keep the important details to himself for now. 

“I understand if you don’t want to tell us anything. Just know that we are not here to cause you any harm.” Akaashi added after sensing Hinata’s hesitation. He exchanged glances with Bokuto, a silent conversation moving between them.

“Hinata, have you come across someone else before you ended up here?” Bokuto asked, his demeanor suddenly changing. The seriousness in his voice is commanding Hinata to speak up. “I can’t help but notice someone else’s scent on you. It makes me wonder, since you’ve been with us for a few days now.”

Hinata couldn’t help but think they already knew something. If that was the case, he is only further burying himself in a deeper hole. He wondered what scent Bokuto was talking about. He felt a chill run down his spine. Can Bokuto smell the others on him? Or is it the unique smell everyone’s been saying rivals that of Kageyama’s?

“It’s alright. You don’t have to answer them now.” Akaasi says, softly tapping Bokuto’s arm. “We should probably head back anyway.”

Bokuto protested, but followed Akaashi anyway as he headed out the door. Before they could leave, Akaashi turned around and said, “Someone will be here later to come get you Hinata. If you ever need anything, just ask her and she will assist you.”

“We’ll see you later. Please join us for dinner, okay?” Bokuto added before he followed Akaashi out of the door. 

Hinata breathed a long sigh as he slumped back on his seat, only to sprung back up after hearing a few series of knocks. He waited for whoever it is to enter, unsure of what to say considering he doesn’t have any authority in this place. 

“H-Hello!” A girl about his age with blonde hair entered with a greeting and a small wave. Her hair is blonde and tied up in a nice bun on top of her head. She reminded Hinata of a pixie or one of those faeries they describe in children's story books. She let herself in, timidly standing in front of the door with a slight blush on her cheeks. “I was told to come here and assist you. My name is Yachi.”

He put down his once again empty cup and stood, but paused just beside the couch in hopes not to fluster her even further. Something tells him the girl is quite shy. So instead, he introduced himself with tampered enthusiasm. “Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Hinata.” 

“Y-Yes. So, um, what would you like to do now? I can take you to have a look around if you want. Akaashi-san mentioned you may want to take a look around.” She replies. 

The idea of having to explore this new place excited him more than it should. It baffles him how much he feels unconcerned about the fact that he should be doing some investigating on his own to figure out whether this place is to be trusted or not. But he figured, a guide would be able to help him with that task. For some reason, he’s not getting a hint of any threat. Still, it won't hurt to be a bit more cautious. 

“Sounds great!” 

“You may need to change your clothes first.” Yachi said, eyeing Hinata from head to toe in dissatisfaction. “Come. I might know someone who can lend you some clothes.”

* * *

  
  


The smell of cinnamon and something sweet immediately hit Hinata’s nostrils the moment they entered the kitchen. Behind the kitchen island stood a boy with white, spiky hair, much similar to the one with Bokuto. He stopped halfway from icing a cake, looking up as he stared at the newcomers standing in front of the kitchen entrance. His gaze travelled from Yachi, then moved towards Hinata, lingering there for a few seconds before looking back at the blonde-haired girl. 

“Can I help you?” He asked, carefully placing the piping bag down on the flat counter. 

“Sorry to disturb you while you’re working Hoshiumi-san.” Yachi said, taking a few steps forward while gesturing towards Hinata who decided to follow Yachi but stayed behind her. “I’d like you to meet Hinata-kun.”

“Ah, so the human finally has a name.” Hoshiumi says, a slight smirk pulling up at the corner or his lips. “Well, what brings you here?”

Hinata decided to let Yachi do the talking despite the look Houshimi is giving him. “I was wondering if you could let him borrow some of your coats.”

Houshiumi raised a brow. For a moment, Hinata was expecting him to say no and just brush them off. But then he says, “Sure. Give me a minute to clean this up.”

“Shall we wait by your room?” Yachi asked, to which Hoshiumi just nodded as a reply, quickly getting back to his work, not bothering to say anything else to signal dismissal. 

Yachi led him to a series of stairs, down a hallway or two, until they reached a column of closed doors. “This floor is reserved for the resident’s quarters. That wing,” Yachi pointed to the right, “is where all the girls stay and down here is where the guys are.”

“Is it really okay to enter without him? Won’t he get mad?” Hinata asked after Yachi pushed open the third door, gesturing for Hinata to follow. 

“Don’t worry about it, I’m sure he won’t mind.” Yachi answered, though that did not ease Hinata’s concern at the slightest. “We can wait here instead of standing outside of the hallway.”

A slightly uncomfortable silence fell upon them. Hinata racked his brain to think about anything that could start up a conversation. If he wanted to know more about the situation, now is a good opportunity to ask questions. “Yachi-san, can I ask you something?” he asked.

The blonde looked over at him and nodded for him to continue. “What is it, Hinata-kun?”

“How many days have I been unconscious?” He asked. They told him earlier that it had only been a few days but he wanted to know how long exactly he had been gone for. 

“Well, I think you arrived here about three days ago. But we have no idea how long you have been staying there until one of the men found you. Akaashi-san said you probably had been there for at least half a day.” Yachi explained.

“Is that so.” Hinata doubts it had been that long since the vortex spat him out. Besides, who would survive that long buried beneath the snow? No one, especially not him who is by all means weak against the dangers of nature. He is human after all.

“Maybe you should try talking to Akaashi-san later. He was the one who was taking care of you while you were out.” 

“He did?” Hinata was surprised. Akaashi did not look the caring type after all. Also, Akaashi looked like he was someone who has a high position in this court seeing how he was acting with the High Lord. But then again, his friends back home don’t necessarily worship every ground Kageyama steps on. “Why would he do that?”

Yachi looked at him with a confused expression as if he just asked a question with an answer that should be quite obvious. “It’s his duty as the head physician.” She answered with a slight tilt of her head to the side.

“Oh.” Now that explains why. 

“Also, he was the only one who could come close to you.” Yachi vaguely added.

“What do you mean?” 

Before he could ask another series of questions and before his mind could wander, a white sparrow flew through the window, zooming past their heads and circling the ceiling a few times before it landed on the floor. Hinata didn’t even have time to blink before the tiny bird morphed into a larger figure, a figure of a boy about his size with white spiky hair and large, bright eyes. He gave them a passive look before walking over to what Hinata assumed was his closet. 

“I’m assuming you wanted to go outside, yes?” He asked, back facing them as he browsed, snatching up a puffer coat with a fur hood and throwing it onto the bed. “That’s the smallest one I have. I’m sure it’ll fit.”

“You’re not that different in size, Hoshiumi-san.” Yachi shrugs, a teasing smile on her face. “I’m sure Hinata-kun can fit anything of yours.”

Hoshiumi is quiet for a few seconds before he turns around, agonisingly slow and glared at Yachi, who didn’t even flinch which surprised Hinata knowing how flustered she was when they first met. Then the pointed gaze moved to him, sending shivers down his spine. Hinata fought the urge to hide behind Yachi. 

“You. How tall are you?” Hoshiumi asked, pointing a finger at Hinata. His face is serious and without a hint of playfulness. 

A small part of his brain keeps telling him to humour the guy instead of coming at him head to head. Hinata swallowed the lump in his throat. “A few inches shorter than you, Hoshiumi-san.”

The guy didn’t smile or acknowledge the half-compliment, even if Hinata hadn’t meant for it to be one. But he did seem pleased. 

Yachi just rolled her eyes at their exchange, telling Hoshiumi to hurry up and let Hinata borrow some footwear as well. The guy just huffed but shoved furred boots into Hinata’s arms, who stumbled with a hurried ‘thanks’ before Hoshiumi left the way he came.

“Don’t mind him. He’s not very good with meeting new people. But I think he likes you.” Yachi explained as they stared at the small bird as it flapped against the wind, before it finally disappeared. 

Hinata hummed. “Yeah, I kind of doubt it, Yachi-san.”  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I didn't take THAT long to finally update. Thank you again for those of you who still continues to support this fic. I really appreciate it heaps. Keep the comments (feedback, suggestions, questions etc.) coming, but try to hold back from asking spoiler questions bc I won't even answer them anyways haha 
> 
> Lastly, I hope everyone is being safe especially with the stuff that's been going on recently. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and see you on the next update! :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back again with another chapter. This one's a bit longer than the previous one. But still, I hope you enjoy reading! :)

Hinata followed another group of guards marching towards the direction of the gate, the only entrance that can lead inside the Winter Court. Unlike the Spring Court, there seems to be more heavily armoured men circling around, even in the town’s square where the majority of the crowd is gathered. 

The people seem to not care about the presence of these men, even though they aren’t exactly dressed for guard duty. They are garbed in metal armour, shiny and polished, reflecting the winter sky. Each of them has at least one weapon strapped in their body. While others carried swords, some of them carried spears or bows strapped behind their backs. Hinata swore they look like they’re dressed for war, which should worry him if not for the fact that Yachi, as well as the others around them, didn’t seem fazed about it at all.

A number of colourful shops lined the street, colourful banners tied on the lamp posts are dancing along the wind. There were some children running around, carefree and wild. One tiny little boy accidentally ran against Hinata, slamming quite hard against his legs, bringing the poor boy down on the cold pavement.

“Oh, my. Are you alright?” Yachi asked at the same time Hinata crouched down to help the boy to get up. The boy stared at Hinata in awe, eyes almost twinkling as he took the sight of a human standing in front of him.

“Are you hurt?” Hinata asked the boy, worried. 

The boy blinked and shook his head no. “No mister, I’m alright. I’m sorry I bumped into you.” He said, bowing down before skipping along to catch up with his friends. 

The closer they are getting towards the middle of the square, the thicker the crowd seems to be getting. Hinata made sure to glance around him to make sure Yachi was still with him. The last thing he wants is to lose his only guide amidst an unfamiliar town.

A part of him is worried about his appearance, he’s still in his human form after all. Yachi didn’t even bother to bring up the idea of covering him in glamour or even at least a disguise. He couldn’t decide whether he’s worried about any attackers lurking beneath the shadows or what the people might think after seeing a human like him freely walking around in the open. 

If Kageyama were with him, he knew the alpha would make a fuss. The mere thought of the High Lord stopped him in his tracks, almost causing the person behind him to bump against him. Yachi murmured an apology for him, since he seems to be stuck on his feet in the middle of a busy street.

“Hinata? Are you alright? Is something wrong?” Yachi asked, stopping in front of him, voice laced with worry though not really alarmed. 

“Nothing. I just remembered something.” Hinata reasoned, although that wasn’t a lie, it wasn’t the whole truth either. He added a smile for reassurance, which Yachi seems to believe since she also returned it before skipping ahead to stop at a festive-looking tea shop.

Hinata pushed the thought of Kageyama at the very back of his head and followed behind Yachi. No point about thinking about him or the others for now. It will definitely throw off his mood and Yachi might end up noticing it and would start asking questions. He can only hope Yachi didn’t have any special Fae ability which can allow her to hear his heart thumping quite heavily against his chest. 

They chose the seat closer to the window, as requested by Yachi so that they can admire the lovely view. The Court of Frost is definitely a breathtaking sight. Despite the snow that never ceased to stop falling, the sun still shone above the sky, as if it were spring in the middle of an endless winter.

Hinata’s eyes travelled along the colourfully lit shops, towards a cozy library situated right beside a fancy-looking café. Across the street there was a quaint flower shop, which again reminded him of spring instead of winter. He wondered how those delicate looking flowers survived the rather cold conditions. 

“What’s out there?” He asked, nudging towards the area past the populace and near the ice-capped mountains. “

Yachi followed his gaze and hummed, taking a sip of her tea before speaking. “You mean what’s beyond that bridge?” She asked which Hinata answered with a curt nod.

“No one really goes out there unless they have a reason to.” Yachi shuggs. “We can check it out later if you want to. We’re on our way towards that direction anyway. You need to see the river!”

“Is that okay? Are we allowed to go there?”

“Of course! Just because no one goes there doesn’t mean it’s off limits.” Yachi answered. “It’s just nothing  _ is  _ there other than snow and ice. It’s not that exciting. I m-mean, for me! Or us! You know...because we practically see the same thing everyday ever since the day we were born. For you it might be different because—”

Hinata chuckled at the blonde’s antics. “Don’t worry Yachi-san, I understand what you mean. Still, I would like to see it if you don’t mind. The Winter Court is quite lovely. It kind of reminds me of my home.” 

Home. Where is his home exactly?

“Oh, did you come from a winter country too?” Yachi asked. 

“I do. But we don’t get snow all throughout the year. We get the four seasons there.” 

“All four of them? Wow!” Yachi exclaimed, amazement glinting in her eyes. “That’s like, all the four courts combined!”

“Have you ever visited the other courts?” Hinata asked, now giving Yachi his whole attention. 

“I’ve been to, yes. But I haven’t really explored it really.” Yachi answered. “I only came when I assisted some business with the neighbouring courts. I heard it’s quite warm over there in the Summer Court! Aunt Kaori told me they even have beaches there too!”

“That does sound amazing Yachi-san. Is that where you wanted to go?” Hinata asked. 

Yachi nodded. “But I want to visit the Autumn and Spring Courts too. They said the sun never leaves the Spring Court. It must be nice to be nice and warm all the time.”

Hinata’s mind drifted back again towards the sunny spring fields back in the Spring Court and how the wind felt when it blew and touched his skin, enough to leave some goosebumps along his arms and neck. He doesn’t say anything about it towards Yachi, still unsure whether it’s safe to disclose his connection towards the Spring Court just yet. So instead he says, “What other places do you have in this court?” 

His curiosity seems to have worked. Yachi immediately jumped to tell him more about the other places they could go to.

They had just visited the bookshop he was eyeing earlier. Yachi was nice enough to offer him some money to purchase some books he liked, but he politely declined the offer, seeing as the majority of the books were written in unfamiliar Fae language anyway. At least, back in the manor, there were some books he could read. 

Yachi led him through a narrow street, past a few houses and a few more establishments. “We’re almost there!” Yachi tells him as she continues to maneuver her way through the street, practically skipping along the way. Hinata can’t help but wonder what got her excited.

The sound of the gushing river signalled that they were about to exit the street. They came to a clearing, the snow seemed to get deeper and deeper. The view of the ice-capped mountains came into view, farther up ahead and over a bridge made of steel and cables, was a rich woodland lined with snow-dusted trees. Hinata can tell there’s a river up ahead. The closer they walked, the louder the sound got, drowning the sounds coming from the city square. 

Yachi stopped at the cut-bank and waved Hinata to come stand beside her. Hinata’s eyes widened, his breath hitching on his throat upon closer inspection of The River of Fire, as what Yachi had called it. True to its name, the river isn’t of pristine blue or vivid green. It’s neither murky nor clear. Instead, the water flowing beneath the cliff is a deep blood red, a perfect contrast of its white surroundings. It’s wider than any river he’s ever laid his eyes on, flowing swift and strong against the rocky bends. It snaked from the other side of the horizon, stretching towards the other side as if it had no end.

“This is incredible.” He looks down, moving a bit closer towards the edge, feeling a slight pull towards the red water, tempting him to jump in and get devoured. Yachi gasped and pulled him back, grabbing him by his elbow. 

“Careful Hinata-kun.” She says, not letting go until he broke off his gaze.

“I’m alright, sorry. I didn’t know what came to me.” He says, scratching his head and ignoring the pounding of blood against his ears due to the spike of adrenaline. 

Yachi studied him, brows knitted tight. “Maybe it’s best if we move back a bit, yeah? Come. We can get a better view up here.” 

The bridge creaked against their weight or it might as well just have been Hinata’s imagination. The bridge is made of old clay bricks, steel and cables. It offers enough space for two carriages to go through and looks like it had seen enough since the earliest of times. Yachi paused in the middle, peeking at the water that flowed underneath. Hinata mirrored her, leaning against the cool railing. 

“About a hundred years ago was when this bridge was built.” Yachi says after a few beats of silence. “Before, our ancestors believed the river was enchanted. The wall didn’t exist back then, so the river was the only thing keeping outsiders away from our lands. They said it used to swallow all the rafts and boats carrying those who dared to cross it with evil intent. I have no idea if it were real, but some said they even found washed away evidence along the river bank. They believed it came from below the river, where the rest of the debris is.”

Hinata hummed in response, waiting patiently for Yachi to continue. 

“Now, only a few believe the stories, mostly the elders. Some groups even lead rituals every other full moon, to honour the spirit guardians and to pray for better harvest. It’s the only place that provides nourishment for our lands you see.” Yachi explains. “Without it, we probably won’t be able to grow our own plants and crops.”

“Why is it called The River of Fire?” It might have made more sense to call it Blood River or something similar, Hinata added in his mind.

Yachi shrugs. “Some elders named it after the irony of our environmental conditions I think. Historically, fire was first discovered in this court. The fire emblem is everywhere. As you may have probably seen on the court emblem.”

Hinata may have briefly seen the emblem on one of his escorts earlier that morning. It was of a phoenix in mid-flight, with wings shaped like fire, a shield and two arrows crossed in the middle. “Is there some sort of magic keeping it from freezing over?”

“Maybe.” Yachi answered. “There wasn’t a lot written about it actually. Until now, we still think there’s something mysterious about it.”

The sun was about to set now, the hues making the river to turn an even darker red. With the absence of the sun, Hinata started to feel the cold slowly starting to seep through his clothes, chilling him to the bone. Yachi noticed him shiver, and suggested they start to head back. They were having a casual conversation about their plans for the next day when the bell started to toll, the sound rolling through the village like hollow thunder, stopping everybody from their tracks. 

Then suddenly, the crowd turned into an uproar. Mothers ushered their children indoors, shopkeepers pulling down the signs telling the customers they were closed for the day. There seemed to be more guards this time, all seem to be in high alert. 

Hinata feels a hand gripping his arm, as Yachi holds on to him while leading him furiously through the mass of people hurrying towards every direction. “We have to hurry and get back Hinata-kun. Try not to get lost.”

They weaved and dodged their way back. Hinata gritted his teeth as he let himself be pulled. He saw glimpses of misty land masses far to the west where the great mountains stood. Unlike earlier, they don’t have time to appreciate the surroundings. The once lively town square suddenly turned into a mass gathering of chaos. Hinata can’t help but wonder the worst. What was that signal? Could it be a warning sign, hence the alert it brought to the people? Are they being invaded? 

They were about to clear the town square when suddenly a horse rider stopped into a halt in front of them. Out of instinct, Hinata pulled Yachi to stand behind him. The soldier was wearing golden armour instead of silver, Hinata catches a bow strapped behind his back as well as a sword strapped on his waist. 

The soldier pushed his hood off his head. For a second, Hinata thought it was Bokuto, a closer inspection told him otherwise. The guy has shorter light gray hair, with an athletic height and build. He swung his leg over, and jumped off his horse, bowing slightly after his graceful ascent. 

“Shinsuke-san, what brings you here?” Yachi asked, sidestepping Hinata whose grip on her started to loosen. “What’s happening out there?”

“I was sent to bring you back immediately.” He gestured towards the other stallion behind him, then towards Hinata. “Can you ride?”

“Yes.” Hinata replied the same time Yachi says, “I’ll do it.”

They both looked at each other, but it was Yachi who spoke first. “I’ll do it since I’m more familiar with the way. Is that alright Hinata-kun?”

Hinata can only nod in agreement. They were immediately ushered to take the other horse, not wasting any more time as the bells continued to ring. 

“I will explain everything while we’re on our way. For now, please try to keep up.” Shinsuke says and Yachi nodded. 

They were off in an instant, galloping in a speed that knocked the breath out of Hinata’s lungs. A white horse fell on step beside them, galloping at the same pace and speed. They continued their way through, not stopping even once to look back. The Ice Cottage can be seen a few yards away, the sight made Hinata release a relieved sigh. 

But then the horse suddenly stopped abruptly, causing Hinata to bump into Yachi’s back. “Sorry.” He says, but Yachi wasn’t listening. She was rather preoccupied by what’s in front of them. 

Suddenly Sinsuke was in front of them, sword unsheathed and poised. “Stay back. Let me handle this. The moment you see an opening, you get out of here. Are we clear?”

Hinata gulps. His eyes wide as he took in the ambush. He can never forget those sharp fangs and ragged talons. The crooked, naked wings, similar to that of a bat. There were five Furies blocking their way, only a few metres from where they stood. 

Suddenly he was back in the great hall, where everything was dark and someone’s blood spilled across the granite floor. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t blink. His hands shook as he gripped the sides of Yachi’s coat. 

One of them hissed before leaping towards Shinsuke, talons ready to rip and shred. Shinsuke swung his sword, urging his horse forward. The Fury spread its wings wide and flew upwards, successfully missing the sword just as it was about to cut. Not missing a beat, it dove back, screeching as it did so. Shinsuke fell off his horse when he tried to dodge the attack, but he was on his feet in a blink of an eye. 

Hinata may not know a lot about the art of sword fighting, but even the most inexperienced individual might be able to tell that Shinsuke is being overpowered. Heck, it took three alpha wolves to bring one down during that attack in the Spring Court. 

Shinsuke managed to slice a big wound across the Fury's belly and another across its leg, staining the snow on the ground red. The Fury staggered back, screeching and flapping its wings in rage. “Who sent you?” Shinsuke growled, the tip of his sword pushed towards the direction of the Fury. He spun in perfect grace, and sliced an arm off in one sweep. Hinata flinched and looked away as the Fury cried in agony.

Suddenly, all four Furies who stood back to watch the previous fight advanced. Shinsuke only had a few seconds to swing his sword in a perfect arc, only to bring it back down and slice Fury's head off its shoulders. 

Yachi screamed when one of them clawed a wound across Shinsuke’s arm, leaving a gushing wound trailed with blood. Luckily it had been his left arm instead of the right. Hinata had to hold her steady to keep her from falling off the horse. “Now Yachi! I’ll hold them back! Go!” He yelled, swinging his sword furiously as he dodged one attack after another. 

But Yachi seems to be frozen in place. Hinata can hear her soft whimpers as she grips the reins tightly. He looks towards Shinsuke’s direction, then towards the direction of the Ice Cottage. He weighed his options, he could ride towards the Cottage and ask for backup. A part of him knew that’s the most sensible option. Even if he tries to assist the fight, there is close to nothing that he could do. It might even come to Shinsuke’s disadvantage. Not only does he have to fight the Furies off, but he also has to look over his shoulder and protect him and Yachi. 

Gritting his teeth, he snatched the reins out of Yachi’s grasp, earning a yelp as their horse galloped towards the other side, away from the fight. He willed himself not to look back, urging the horse to go faster. Yachi was now crying, hiccuping as she tried to keep it in. They both knew the odds of Shinsuke surviving that ambush. 

It had been too easy of an escape and Hinata should have realised it sooner. 

The air was knocked out of him as he was thrown over the horse. The sky spun and suddenly he was down on the ground. Yachi screamed somewhere in the distance, he can barely hear anything else over his heavy breathing mixed with the sound of his heartbeat thumping loudly in his ear. 

He looked up just in time to dodge the Fury that was about to swoop down from where he laid, rolling onto his feet and breaking into a run, looking around him to spot Yachi kneeling somewhere in the distance. He ran the opposite way, urging the Fury away from where Yachi is. 

Shinsuke’s eyes widened when he spotted Hinata, his eyes suddenly glowing in blue flames. He turned around and flung his hand across, freezing two Furies on the ground who were about to attack him. Swinging his sword, he sliced the popsicled monsters in half before breaking into a run towards Hinata’s direction. He sheathed his sword and took out his bow and arrow, aiming towards the Fury hot on Hinata’s trails. The Fury managed to dodge it, but it bought them enough time for Hinata to reach where Shinsuke is. 

Hinata gasped for air, hunching down his knees as he took gulps after gulps of air to fill his lungs. “Shinsuke-san” he gasped, “I’m sorry we were--”

But he was cut off when Shinsuke shoved the bow and arrow towards his chest. “You know how to shoot?”

Hinata gripped the bow and arrow, the weight familiar on his hand. In his periphery, he saw a Fury incoming towards their right. Out of instinct, he pulls an arrow out of the quiver, aimed at the incoming target and let it ricochet through the air and into the Fury’s forehead. The Fury dropped down to the ground. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Shinsuke says, tapping him on the shoulder before pulling his sword out again. “Cover for me.”

They joined together, their back against each other as two of the remaining Fury circled around them. Strangely enough, Hinata feels less frightened. His hands even stopped shaking. He felt a surge of power and a shot of excitement the moment the bow landed on his hands. He got this. This is what Noya had been preparing him for. 

The Furies attacked in sync. Hinata side-stepped, staggering to keep his footing planted firmly on the ankle-deep snow. He shot another arrow, but the Fury anticipated his move and dodged it easily. He has six more arrows left.

The Fury that was attacking him shot up into the air, circling above Hinata as it looked for the perfect opportunity to swoop down and claw him into ribbons. Hinata kept his eyes anchored on it, his bow set and ready to fire. 

He pulled his string back, eyes never blinking. The Fury dove down, screeching, sharp claws extended. Hinata waited until the Fury was close enough to take a good hit. He let it go, scraping the edge of the Fury’s shoulder as it once again dodged his attack. 

He reached for another arrow and nocked it with ease, letting it go not a second too late. It hit the chest, but now deep enough to consider it fatal. 

Four more arrows left.

He spared a glance towards where Shinsuke was battling it out with an equally enraged Fury. Swinging his sword around, thrusting into every opening he sees. He quickly brought his gaze back to the Fury in front of him, but it was no longer there. 

He felt chills run up his spine. 

_ Never take your eye off the target.  _ Noya kept on reminding him.  _ Not until you’re sure you’ve successfully brought them down.  _

Hinata cursed under his breath, frantically looking up and around him to spot where the Fury went. His blood pounded on his veins. He felt a bit light headed. He noticed his side felt a bit warm. He brought a hand towards the area and realised why. His eyes widened at his bloodied hand. When did he receive the injury? Was it when he fell off his horse or did he just get it now?

“Shit.” He cursed again as the blood continued to gush out of his side. A whiplash cursed through his head, sending him down kneeling on one knee as he brought a fist towards his pounding head. “Shit.” he says again.

He focused on his breathing, his vision focusing and fading away. He can’t afford to pass out now. Not now out of all the times and out of all the places. 

“Get up!” Shinsuke yelled somewhere, but he couldn’t tell where exactly he was. Is he still fighting? Hinata shook his head in an attempt to get it together, only to worsen the spinning in his head. 

He looked up, just to see a blur of black before he was yanked into the air. The quiver and bow fell back on the ground, he tried to grab it, but only succeeded to grab a single arrow. He clenched his hand tightly around it, willing his hand to stop shaking.

He screams when the talons pierced his flesh even deeper as the Fury brought him further up into the air. Without thinking more about it, he swung the arrow towards the Fury’s leg, pushing it in with all his might and all that was left of his strength. He felt the blood trickle down his arm as the Fury screeched in pain. He pulled the arrow back out, earning another screech, only to plunge it back down again, resulting for the Fury to unlatch that claw off his shoulder. 

He ignored the pain and did the same action on the other leg. He was aware of the tears running down his face. His chest ached thinking that this might be the end of him, that he won’t be able to come back home, back to his High Lord and his friends. His tears were for them. For the short amount of time he spent with them and for wanting to see them once more, knowing now that it’s impossible. 

But there was no way he was going to let himself be taken away. He would rather die instead.

The Fury’s grip on him loosened. Enough for him to be able to shrug off the sleeve of his coat. He stabbed one last time, making sure it went as deep as possible, before taking his other arm off.

Then he was free-falling.

Cold air hugged his lithe body. His perception of time distorted, his surroundings blurred down as he kept barreling down back on the ground. He kept his eyes glued on the sky. It’s fully dark now. Blanket of stars twinkled above in unsynchronised harmony. And at that moment, he could only think of one person. 

“Kageyama.” He whispered, hot tears clouding his vision. He blinked them away, his voice quivering but not of the cold. He feels numb now. “Forgive me.” He lets the wind carry his words away.

Everything started to blur. He took one last look of the night sky and closed his eyes, surrendering himself into the infinite sky above, waiting to touch the ground…

That should have been now. 

But it never came. Instead, he felt himself land on two sturdy arms. He choked a pained sob as he felt the impact it resulted on his body. His vision focused and unfocused, but he successfully made out a figure hovering over him. 

“Bokuto-san?” he murmured under his breath, as his eyes slowly focused on the familiar face of the High Lord of the Winter Court. “Am I dead? Is this a dream?” He asked, once he realised they aren’t falling, instead, they seem to be floating. 

No.

They’re flying.

Bokuto chuckled. “Not yet, Hinata-kun. You’re safe now.”

Hinata allowed himself to process the things happening all at once. Then his eyes caught the sight of Bokuto’s wings. His feathers was a mix of grey and brown, almost blending in with the night sky. He can only hear the sound of quiet rhythmic beating, almost too quiet considering its size, as Bokuto flew them safely back towards the safety of the ground. 

The moment they reached the ground, Hinata immediately roamed his eyes around to look for both Yachi and Shinsuke. Yachi can’t be seen anywhere, but Shinsuke was there, leaning his weight towards a white stallion, his body battered and bleeding in places. The Fury he was fighting earlier nowhere in sight. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. 

Just then, a crackling burst of blue lightning flashed across the sky, channeling some rays through the thick evening sky. All three of them looked up, but Hinata noticed he was the only one who looked a bit surprised by it. Bokuto was grinning rather proudly and Shinsuke just stared ahead with an impassive expression. 

“What was that?” Hinata squeaked, looking back and forth across the two men as Bokuto set him down on the ground. Another strike followed but no one answered.

A few seconds flew past and silence swept over them. Weirdly enough, Hinata can tell that everything is over. The clouds in the sky seem to have disappeared. The peaceful quietness of the night finally returned. 

“Where’s Yachi? Is she okay?” Hinata asked.

“Don’t worry Hinata-kun. She’s safe and I sent her back to the Cottage.” Bokuto crouched in front of him on one knee, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “You did great.”

Hinata managed to smile, wincing as his wound throbbed in pain. Bokuto shifted his gaze towards his injury. Another winged-figure landed just behind where Bokuto was crouched down. Hinata gasped in alarm, but calmed down when he realised who it was.

“Bokuto-san, it’s done. You should go, I’ll take care of things from here.” Akaashi says as he trudged towards where the group is, kneeling beside Hinata instantly to examine his wounds. Hinata couldn’t help but notice how Akaashi’s eyes seemed to burn electric sapphire. It stayed for a few seconds, then disappeared. “It looks deep, but not fatal. We need to get you back so I can take a closer look.” He tells Hinata.

“Alright, then I’ll be back.” Bokuto says before taking off into the sky once again.

“I’ll go around and check if there’s any damage done in the square.” Shinsuke says, before he as well hopped on his horse and sped away. Hinata followed him, worry etched on his face. Akaashi tells him Shinsuke will be fine.

“Where is he going?” Hinata asked just as Akaashi lifted him in his arms and took off himself, heading towards the direction of the cottage. “Bokuto-san I mean.”

“He needs to join the others at the gate.” Akaashi says, no other explanation followed. 

“Is it over? The attack I mean?”

“Yes, it is. That attack was futile. They should have known better.” Akaashi says. “At least now we know they won’t try anything for a while.”

Hinata gulps, before he asked, his voice slightly shaking. “What were they after?”

Akaashi quieted for a few beats, then answered. “They might have been after something valuable.”

Hinata didn’t ask more questions after that, and just allowed himself to be flown over the vast frozen land of the Winter Court. They reached the Cottage in no time, with Akaashi immediately ushering him towards the infirmary. The last thing he remembered before he passed out was the clean smell of anaesthetics and the few instructions Akaashi called out to his assistants. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know some thoughts. Thank you so much for the love. I appreciate you all! <3


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